“We Do Not Trust Syrian President Ahmed Al-Shara” — Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz

“We Do Not Trust Syrian President Ahmed Al-Shara” — Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz

[Washington | July 20, 2025] — Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has expressed deep mistrust of Syria’s interim President Ahmed Al-Shara. Speaking at a meeting in Washington with U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, Katz made strong remarks against Shara.

“I never trusted Assad the father, nor Assad the son — and certainly not a leader like Shara, who is waging war against Syria’s minorities with the backing of jihadist groups,” said Katz.

He further warned, “These groups may one day attack Israeli settlements near the Golan Heights. That is why we trust only in God and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), who protect us.”

Background on Golan Heights

Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it unilaterally — a move that remains unrecognized by the international community.

Katz added, “Whether it’s Ba’athist-era leaders, the Assad family, or Shara — none of them have ever proven themselves trustworthy in Syria’s history.”

Ceasefire Declared Amid Sweida Violence

On Saturday, Syria’s presidency declared an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in the southern province of Sweida, where sectarian violence had escalated sharply.

Clashes began on July 13 between Bedouin Arab tribes and armed Druze fighters and quickly spread throughout the region. During this chaos, Israel carried out airstrikes on multiple military sites, including near Syria’s capital, Damascus.

While Israel justified the strikes as necessary to “protect the Druze community,” Druze leaders across Syria have unanimously rejected this foreign interference. In a joint statement, they declared, “We stand for a united and sovereign Syria.”

New Crisis Emerges After Assad’s Fall

In December 2024, Bashar al-Assad’s 25-year rule came to an end, and he fled to Russia, marking the collapse of the 61-year Ba’ath Party regime.

In January 2025, an interim administration was formed under the leadership of Ahmed Al-Shara, tasked with balancing Syria’s internal instability and rising international pressure.

Since then, Israel has intensified its military operations in Syria and has unilaterally abandoned the 1974 Syria-Israel Disengagement Agreement that had established a buffer zone between the two nations.