Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has expressed concern that the Western world is being deceived by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the new de facto ruler of Syria. HTS led opposition groups in Syria, overthrowing Bashar al-Assad’s regime earlier this month.
Despite US President Joe Biden’s warning that actions speak louder than words, many critics argue that engaging with HTS legitimizes the Islamist authoritarian organization. Sa’ar describes the regime as “extreme” and expresses skepticism about its intentions.
Israel has taken steps to secure its security interests in the buffer zone along its Syria border. Colonel Benny Kata, commander of a regional brigade, stated that the Syrian opposition forces on the border are unclear and uncertain in their actions.
Concerns remain over whether HTS has abandoned its terrorist roots. The group was founded as the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda but claims to have rebranded itself as a legitimate political entity.
Source: https://www.firstpost.com/world/it-seems-they-are-deceiving-west-israeli-foreign-minister-gideon-saar-on-syria-hts-govt-13847985.html