'We have common enemies', says al-Sharaa on relationship with 'Israel'
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Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa calls for an end to "tit-for-tat bombings", urging renewed regional security dialogue.
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In this photo released by the Saudi Royal Palace, President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 14, 2025. (Saudi Royal Palace via AP)
Syria and "Israel" have common enemies, said Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa as he called for an end to what he called "tit-for-tat bombings" and stressed the need for regional stability through cooperation.
"The era of endless tit-for-tat bombings must end. No nation prospers when its skies are filled with fear. The reality is, we have common enemies, and we can play a major role in regional security," al-Sharaa said, in reference to "Israel", during an interview for the Jewish Journal.
Furthermore, he expressed his desire to return to the 1974 disengagement agreement between Syria and "Israel", not merely as a ceasefire line but as a platform for "mutual restraint and civilian protection," claiming that this framework could ensure safety, particularly for the Druze communities in southern Syria and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
Read next: Why al-Sharaa is signaling openness to Syria-'Israel' ties: Al-Monitor
However, the transitional Syrian president rejected the prospect of immediate normalization with "Israel", clarifying that any future dialogue must be grounded in international law and Syria’s sovereignty.
"Dignity through work. Peace through purpose,” al-Sharaa told the Jewish Journal.
Al-Sharaa open to direct dialogue with Trump
Al-Sharaa also expressed his willingness for direct talks with US President Donald Trump to advance stability in the region. “Syria needs an honest broker,” he said, signaling openness to Washington’s role in mediation efforts.
Syrian residents expel Israeli patrol
In a related development, residents of the village of Ruwaihinah, located in the central countryside of Quneitra in southern Syria, expelled an Israeli patrol on Friday.
The patrol had reportedly intruded into the village and stopped civilians.
The incursion angered locals, who responded by throwing stones at the vehicles and removing an Israeli flag, which they then set ablaze.
The incident highlights the ongoing popular rejection of the Israeli occupation in the region, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The Jewish Journal is an independent, non-profit American weekly magazine focused on issues concerning the Jewish community in the Greater Los Angeles area. It is considered one of the leading Jewish media outlets in the United States.
