Middle East Monitor / December 19, 2024
Ahmad al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Syria’s new de facto ruler, has indicated that foreign fighters who aided in toppling the Syrian government could be granted Syrian citizenship.
Speaking during a closed press briefing in Damascus on Tuesday with several western outlets, Al-Jolani claimed the number of foreign fighters in Syria has been exaggerated, with no definitive records available. He suggested that granting citizenship was a feasible option, comparing it to global practices where residency for a period of four to seven years often qualifies individuals for citizenship. He added that these fighters shared the values and ideology of the Syrian people, making integration into society plausible.
On relations with Israel, Al-Jolani said Syria will not fight the occupation state, explaining that with Iranian forces and Hezbollah no longer in the country, Israel has no reason to keep attacking. He urged the UN and the international community to make sure Israel follows international law.
Instead, he said that the new government will focus on national unification, strengthening institutions and rebuilding infrastructure. Despite Israel’s invasion, its extended occupation of Syrian territory after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, and its extensive bombing campaign across the country, he emphasised that Syria will no longer serve as a base for attacks against Israel or any other country.
A day after Al-Assad fled, Syria’s interim government called on the UN Security Council to act to immediately stop Israel’s attacks on Syrian territory and withdraw from areas it has recently occupied. In two identical letters addressed to the Security Council and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Syria’s UN envoy Qusay al-Dahhak stated he was acting “on instructions from his government” to deliver the demands.
