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Damascus Governor Maher Marwan Calls for Peace with Israel, Seeks U.S. Mediation

Dec 27, 2024, 11:31 AM

The new governor of Damascus, Maher Marwan, has stated that Syria's new government seeks peaceful relations with Israel and called on the United States to help facilitate peace between the two countries. Speaking to NPR on December 27, 2024, on behalf of Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, Marwan said, "We have no fear towards Israel, and our problem is not with Israel. We want peace, and we cannot be an opponent to Israel or an opponent to anyone." He emphasized that Syria does not want to interfere with Israel's security or that of any other nation. Marwan acknowledged that Israel's initial fears were natural and noted that Israel had "advanced a little, bombed a little" in response to the changes in Syria. His remarks represent an unprecedented position from Syrian leadership towards Israel, including referring to Israel as a "country."