New Damascus governor says Syrian government doesn't want Israel as an adversary; Jerusalem wary

Maher Marwan, the new governor of Damascus, the capital of Syria, appointed by Syrian de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, said in statements to National Public Radio (NPR) that the country's new government, led by the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led the offensive that resulted in the overthrow of the Bashar al-Asad regime, is not seeking to enter into a conflict with Israel.

Marwan asserted that it is possible that the Jewish state has "felt fear." He added that "that's why it advanced a little bit, bombed a little bit." He noted, however, that Israel's fear is "natural."

However, the governor clarified: "We are not afraid of Israel, and our problem is not with Israel."

In this regard, Marwan maintained, "We do not want to meddle in anything that could threaten Israel's security or the security of any other country."

The governor's statements are part of the image of moderation that the new authorities, led by a radical Islamist organization, seek to show the world.

In fact, Sharaa previously affirmed that his government will respect the rights of all minorities in Syria and stated that he was not seeking a conflict with Israel.

Marwan, for his part, went a step further and called on the United States to facilitate better relations with Israel, NPR reported.

"There is a people who want coexistence. It wants peace. It doesn't want disputes," the governor expressed. "We want peace and we cannot be adversaries of Israel or anyone else," he added.

Israel is wary

On Friday, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar referred to the new government in Syria, which he described as "a terrorist gang from Idlib that has occupied Damascus," according to the Israeli newspaper Maariv. He added: "There is talk in the world of an 'orderly change of government,' but this is not a democratically elected government, nor does it control all the territory of Syria."

"The world wants to see a new and stable government to facilitate the return of refugees to Syria, but the reality is completely different. In the coastal region, clashes continue with the Alawites (the minority to which Assad belongs), [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan is threatening to destroy Kurdish autonomy, and there are persecutions against the Christian community in the country. This is an Islamist regime with aspirations to have total control over Syria," Sa'ar stated.