Syrian leader accuses Israel of ‘stalling on negotiations, insisting on violating our airspace’

NEW YORK — Syria’s leader warns that the Middle East will face a new round of tumult unless Israel reaches a security agreement with his transitional government that preserves sovereignty.

President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former jihadist whose forces swept out longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, is making a landmark visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

“We are not the ones creating problems for Israel. We are scared of Israel, not the other way around,” he tells an event of the Middle East Institute.

“There are multiple risks with Israel stalling on the negotiations and insisting on violating our airspace and incursions into our territory,” he says.

He rejects any talk of partitioning his country, as Israel makes incursions and says it is championing the interests of the Druze minority.

“Jordan is under pressure, and any talk of partitioning Syria will hurt Iraq, will hurt Turkey,” he says.

“That will take us all back to square one,” he says, noting that Syria has only just emerged from a decade-and-a-half of war.

In an earlier appearance, Sharaa played down prospects for a more historic agreement in which Syria would recognize Israel.