“Fighting Ghosts”: Syria’s President Al-Sharaa Calls For Peace, Accuses Israel Of Escalating Tensions

Syria’s President Urges Restraint and National Unity

Speaking to CNN’s Christiane Amanpour at the Doha Forum Newsmaker Interview, Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa accused Israel of stoking regional tensions and inventing external threats to divert attention from what he described as “horrifying massacres” in Gaza. He said Israeli leaders increasingly invoke security pretexts to expand military action and claimed Israel now “is in a fight against ghosts.”

Allegations of Increased Israeli Military Activity

Al-Sharaa said Israeli strikes across Syria have risen sharply since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, alleging that repeated air attacks and southern ground operations have killed hundreds. He cited a recent strike in the Damascus countryside town of Beit Jinn that he said killed at least 13 people. He also accused Israeli forces of advancing deeper into Syrian territory, setting up checkpoints and illegally detaining Syrian citizens inside Israel.

“We’ve said very frankly that Syria will be a country of stability, and we are not concerned with being a country that exports conflict, including to Israel,” al-Sharaa said, adding that Syrian gestures of de-escalation had been met with “extreme violence.”

Golan Heights And The 1974 Disengagement Accord

Al-Sharaa urged Israel to return to positions held before the fall of the al-Assad era and to uphold the 1974 Disengagement Accord, which created a UN-monitored buffer on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights after the 1973 Yom Kippur War. He warned that replacing the accord with new arrangements — for example a different buffer or demilitarised zone — could deepen regional risks and raised the practical question of who would secure any new buffer.

His comments followed remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggesting a deal was possible if Syrian forces agreed to create a demilitarised buffer extending from Damascus toward Jabal al-Sheikh on the Golan Heights.

Domestic Reconciliation And The Path To Elections

On domestic affairs, al-Sharaa struck an optimistic tone while acknowledging ongoing challenges. He said Syria is moving toward greater unity and stability, noting steps his administration has taken, including mass pardons for many individuals and factions to foster reconciliation and public safety. He rejected descriptions of the uprising against the previous regime as solely a “Sunni revolution,” saying all components of Syrian society had participated and that some Alawites had also been victimised.

Al-Sharaa acknowledged episodes of sectarian violence earlier in the year — including deadly attacks in coastal areas in March and heavy clashes in Suwaydain in July — and described those events as unacceptable crimes that must be addressed through law. He reiterated that Syria is a state of law and that legal processes are the way to preserve citizens’ rights.

Women’s Rights And International Concerns

Human-rights groups have warned that women could face new restrictions under the incoming government, noting the past conduct of Hayat al-Tahrir in areas it controlled. Al-Sharaa responded that women in Syria are “empowered,” with their rights protected and participation in government encouraged. He added, half-jokingly, that people should “not fear for Syrian women, fear for Syrian men.”

Commitment To Transition Timetable

Al-Sharaa emphasised that Syria’s recovery depends on strengthening institutions rather than consolidating personal power. He said parliamentary elections will be held within five years of the temporary Constitutional Declaration signed in March, reiterating the principle that leaders must earn popular consent. “The principle of people choosing their leaders is a basic principle … it is even part of our religion in Islam,” he said.

Context Note: This report relays statements made by President Ahmed al-Sharaa during the Doha Forum interview and includes his characterisation of events and policy positions. Some claims, including casualty counts and allegations of illegal detentions, reflect the Syrian government’s account and are contested; independent verification of all details may be limited.