Syria’s newly installed leadership has expressed openness to peaceful relations with Israel, a major departure from decades of hostility. In an interview with NPR, Damascus Governor Maher Marwan, speaking on behalf of de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, stated that Syria’s new government does not see Israel as an enemy and seeks coexistence.

“Our problem is not with Israel,” Marwan said, adding that the administration wants peace and has no intention of threatening Israel’s security. He acknowledged Israel’s initial military strikes during the government transition, describing them as a reaction to “fear” of the new regime.

Damascus Governor Maher Marwan:

“The new Syria wants peace, our problem is not with Israel, and we do not want to interfere in anything that threatens Israel’s security.”

Is Syria moving towards normalizing relations with Israel? pic.twitter.com/aUMPBgUzVZ

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that while Israel is open to “correct ties,” it will act decisively if the new Syrian leadership allows Iranian forces or weapons to threaten its borders. Israel has continued to conduct military operations in Syria, targeting Iranian-backed elements to prevent weapons transfers to Hezbollah and other hostile groups.

The new Syrian government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa and his group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), came to power after an 11-day offensive that toppled the Assad regime earlier this month. HTS, which has roots in al-Qaeda, has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. Despite this, the group has been working to gain international legitimacy and distance itself from its extremist past.

Syria and Israel have been in a state of war since Israel’s founding in 1948, with multiple conflicts over the decades. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War, and the area remains a point of tension.