Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Sharaa says Syria is relying on France to help stop Israeli ‘escalation’
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Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, right, meets French President Emmanuel Macron at the presidential palace in Damascus, Syria, July 7, 2026. (AP/Ghaith Alsayed)
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa says he is counting on an “active French role” to halt what he calls Israeli escalations against his country.
During a joint press conference with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Damascus, Sharaa condemned “systematic Israeli attacks,” saying “we are counting on an active French role to stop this escalation and ensure respect for international agreements.”
The two countries say they have agreed to reappoint ambassadors after more than a decade, marking a major restoration of diplomatic ties for a country recovering from years of civil war.
“Our meeting marks a historical milestone,” Sharaa says.
France had closed its embassy in 2012 during the civil war but symbolically reopened it in early 2025.
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