Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated that Israel seeks “good relations” with the new government in Damascus, following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement today that Israeli forces had recovered the remains of Sergeant First Class Zvi Feldman from Syria.
During a press conference on Sunday, May 12, reported by The Times of Israel newspaper, he said, “We want good relations with the Syrian government, and we also want stability, but we naturally have security concerns, which is understandable.”
Netanyahu has stated that Israel has reasons to “doubt the current regime” in Syria, a sentiment he has expressed at various times since the fall of the Assad regime.
Sa’ar also mentioned that Israel holds “good intentions” regarding its dealings with Syria, saying, “We want security and stability; this is our wish.”
The remarks from the Israeli Foreign Minister represent a sharp shift in tone, as Sa’ar had previously adopted an anti-Syrian government rhetoric, deeming it a “terrorist government.”
Earlier in April, the Israeli Defense Ministry warned Syrian transitional president Ahmed al-Sharaa that he would face “severe consequences” if he threatened Israel’s security.
In February, Sa’ar stated, “I hear talk about a power transition in Syria, and to me, this is ridiculous.”
He added, “The new government in Syria is an Islamic jihadist terrorist group from Idlib that seized Damascus by force. We are all happy about Assad’s departure, but we must be realistic about them.”
For his part, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz previously warned the Syrian leader al-Jolani, saying, “If you allow hostile forces to enter Syria and threaten Israeli security interests, you will pay a heavy price,” addressing the Syrian president by his former title “Abu Mohammad al-Jolani.”
Katz added that recent airstrikes in Hama and Damascus serve as “a clear message and warning for the future. We will not allow any harm to come to the security of the State of Israel,” as he put it.
Al-Sharaa has previously called on Arab countries to take responsibility in supporting Syria to fight against Israeli policies and pressuring it to withdraw from southern Syria.
On various occasions, al-Sharaa has stated that Syria will not pose a threat to its surroundings.
Since the fall of the ousted regime on December 8, 2024, Israel has been conducting continuous ground incursions in southern Syria and has bombed Syrian positions, alongside recurring Israeli hostile statements toward the new authorities in Syria.
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