Ahmad Al-Sharaa tells world leaders Israeli attacks risk “new crises” as he calls for sanctions to be lifted
NEW YORK — In a historic UN General Assembly address, Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa warned that continued Israeli airstrikes on Syria threaten to unleash “new crises and struggles in our region.”
Al-Sharaa, who led opposition forces in the lightning offensive that toppled Bashar Assad last year, became the first Syrian leader in nearly six decades to speak at the UN. His remarks underscored both his political ascent and the volatile regional dynamics shaping the Middle East.
Warning Against Israeli Attacks
Highlighting Israel’s military operations in Syria, Al-Sharaa said:
“Israeli strikes and attacks against my country continue, and Israeli policies contradict the international supporting position for Syria.”
He urged the global community to stand with Syria in resisting what he described as aggression, reaffirming his country’s commitment to the 1974 disengagement agreement that created a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights.
But since Al-Sharaa’s rise to power, Israel has declared that the pact is “over,” seizing the buffer zone and escalating strikes—including in the heart of Damascus.
A Call for Peace and Lifting of Sanctions
Despite tensions, Al-Sharaa said Syria is committed to dialogue and de-escalation. He welcomed ongoing US-mediated talks aimed at halting Israeli attacks in exchange for Syrian military restraint near the border.
He also appealed for the removal of all international sanctions, arguing they “shackle the Syrian people” and block economic recovery.
Since taking power, Al-Sharaa claimed progress on multiple fronts:
- Planning elections for a new parliament.
- Reforming civil and military institutions.
- Addressing outbreaks of sectarian violence.
- Allowing access to UN investigators.
“I guarantee to bring to justice everyone accountable and responsible for bloodshed,” he told world leaders, framing Syria as transformed “from an exporter of crisis to an opportunity for peace.”
From Rebel Leader to Statesman
Al-Sharaa’s rise has been described as one of the most dramatic shifts in Middle Eastern politics. Once a rebel commander imprisoned by US forces in Iraq, he is now engaging world leaders including US Secretary of State Mark Rubio and French President Emmanuel Macron.
At a public forum in New York, retired US General David Petraeus—who once commanded forces fighting against Al-Sharaa—hailed his transformation. “His trajectory from insurgent leader to head of state has been one of the most dramatic political transformations in recent Middle Eastern history,” Petraeus said.