Netanyahu to top Biden aide: Israel must protect itself from ‘any threat’ from Syria
Meanwhile, visiting Jordan, Blinken promises US support for Syria’s neighbors during ‘period of transition,’ says DC will work to ensure country is not ‘used as base for terrorism’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Thursday in Jerusalem with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, telling the top Biden administration aide that Israel will do whatever it takes to protect itself against any threat emanating from Syria.
“Israel will do whatever is necessary to protect its security from any threat” that could emerge from Syria in the wake of the fall of the Assad regime earlier this week, Netanyahu told the visiting Sullivan, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
During their meeting, Netanyahu also stressed the importance of protecting minorities in Syria and the need to prevent attacks on Israel from Syrian territory, as Israeli officials have done since the rebels began their recent offensive that toppled the Assad regime, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday arrived in neighboring Jordan to discuss the ongoing situation in Syria, while the leaders of the G7 nations issued a statement offering their support for the country’s transitional government.
Blinken met Jordan’s King Abdullah in the Red Sea town of Aqaba ahead of a trip to Turkey, setting out Washington’s hopes for Syria’s political transition, saying the US will recognize a future Syrian government that amounts to a credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governing body.
The US secretary of state promised US support for “the stability of Syria’s neighbors, including Jordan, during this period of transition,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, adding that Blinken called for “an inclusive transition that can lead to an accountable and representative Syrian government chosen by the Syrian people.”
He also said the United States hoped to ensure that Syria is not “used as a base for terrorism” and does not pose “a threat to its neighbors” — a key concern both for Turkey, which resents the US military alliance with Syrian Kurds, and Israel, which has been pounding sites across its historic adversary since Assad fell.
King Abdullah, in his meeting with Blinken, “reaffirmed Jordan’s respect” for “the Syrian people’s choices, stressing the need to safeguard Syria’s security and the safety of its citizens,” a palace statement said. Abdullah, while discussing Syria, told Blinken that “the first step to reach comprehensive regional calm is to end the Israeli war on Gaza,” the palace statement added.
Rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which the United States calls a terrorist organization, is playing a key role in Damascus after it led the ouster of Assad, ending a 50-year family dynasty in a swift takeover after 13 years of civil war.
Although it was part of al Qaeda before breaking ties in 2016, HTS had reassured tribal leaders, local officials and ordinary Syrians during its march to Damascus that it would protect minority faiths, winning broad approval. The message helped smooth the rebel’s advance and Sharaa — better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani — has repeated it since Assad’s ouster.
However, the way HTS has gone about shaping the new interim government — by bringing senior administrators from Idlib — has caused concern for some. Four opposition sources and three diplomats told Reuters they were concerned about the inclusiveness of the process so far.
Interim Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir has said he will only remain in power until March. But HTS — which remains classified as a terrorist group by the United States, regional powerbroker Turkey and other governments — has yet to spell out key details of the transition process, including its thinking on a new constitution.
The leaders of the Group of Seven major democracies released a statement on Thursday saying that they “stand ready to support a transition process that leads to credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance” in Syria.
The G7 said a political transition after the end of Assad’s 24-year authoritarian rule has to ensure “respect for the rule of law, universal human rights, including women’s rights, the protection of all Syrians, including religious and ethnic minorities, transparency and accountability.”
“The G7 will work with and fully support a future Syrian government that abides by those standards and results from that process,” the statement added. The leaders also called on “all parties” to “preserve Syria’s territorial integrity and national unity, and respect its independence and sovereignty.”
