Exclusive to Al Jazeera, President Al-Sharaa: Syria Avoids Confrontation with Israel

In an interview with Al Jazeera’s programme ‘al-Muqabalah’, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa discussed a range of critical issues, including the possibility of security arrangements with Israel, the situation in Lebanon, relations with Russia, and other regional and domestic matters. In the first part of the interview, broadcast on Sunday evening (26/7/2026), Ahmed al-Sharaa affirmed Syria’s openness to establishing relations with all parties, both regionally and internationally. However, he stressed that his country adheres to the principle of non-involvement in regional conflicts and is focused on restoring Syria’s role and position in the region. He stated that Syria does not wish to be part of any political bloc or become an arena for competing powers. The government’s current priority is rebuilding the country and achieving domestic stability. Al-Sharaa also noted that good relations with the United States and European countries are a natural condition for Syria. He attributed Syria’s past isolation from its regional and international environment to the policies of the previous regime. According to him, the new government has successfully rebuilt trust through clear and honest communication with various parties. During the interview, the Syrian President revealed that his country is working towards a security agreement with Israel, involving several countries as supporting parties.