Syrian transitional president Ahmad al-Sharaa said that Israel’s targeting of the Presidential Palace and the Ministry of Defense amounted to an “act of war,” stressing that he does not trust Israel.

Al-Sharaa shared updates on the ongoing security agreement talks with Israel and negotiations with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during a discussion with international journalists and researchers.

According to Turkey’s Milliyet newspaper, Ömer Özkizilcik, research director at the Omran Center for Strategic Studies, who attended the session, relayed details of the exchange.

The researcher asked al-Sharaa about the negotiations with Israel following Israel’s attack on Qatar, which he described as “very clear.” Al-Sharaa replied, “If you ask me whether I trust Israel, the answer is no,” noting that a deal similar to the 1974 disengagement agreement was close, under US mediation. He stressed, “This agreement absolutely does not mean normalization or Syria joining the Abraham Accords.”

Al-Sharaa said that Israel’s strikes on the Presidential Palace and Defense Ministry were an “act of war,” but argued that Syria had no option other than to reach a security deal with Israel. “Syria knows how to fight, but it no longer wants war,” he stated.

He described the events in Suwayda (southern Syria), which erupted just days before security talks with Israel, as a “deliberate trap.”

Suwayda clashes before the talks

The Suwayda unrest began on July 12 with mutual kidnappings between residents of the al-Maqous neighborhood, which has a majority Bedouin population, and members of the Druze community. The following day, these escalated into armed clashes.

On July 14, the Syrian government intervened to end the fighting, but violations against Druze civilians triggered retaliation from local factions, including some previously allied with the Ministries of Defense and Interior.

On July 16, government forces withdrew from Suwayda after Israeli strikes, which was followed by violations and retaliatory attacks against Bedouin residents. This prompted “tribal convoy” mobilizations in their defense.

Subsequently, Syria and Israel, with US mediation, reached an agreement to halt military operations.

On the SDF and decentralization

Responding to SDF demands for decentralization, al-Sharaa argued that Syria is already 90% decentralized through Law No. 107. He said Syrian society is not ready to discuss federalism, calling such demands “a mask for separatism under different definitions.”

In his first meeting with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi, al-Sharaa reportedly told him: “If you came here to demand Kurdish rights, don’t bother. My principle is that Kurds are equal citizens of Syria. I care about Kurdish rights more than you do.”

He maintained that the March 10 agreement offered, for the first time, a solution supported by both the United States and Turkey. He accused factions within the SDF and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) of undermining its implementation and slowing down progress.

Al-Sharaa said the current situation in northeastern Syria poses a threat to Turkey’s and Iraq’s national security. He added that Damascus persuaded Ankara to hold off on launching a military operation against the SDF after Assad’s ouster to give negotiations a chance. He warned that “if integration is not achieved by December, Turkey may take military action.”

Turkish stance

Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said on Friday, September 19, that the SDF and all of its affiliates must immediately lay down arms and halt “terrorist activities” in Syria and other regions under different names.

He stressed that Turkey is advancing toward its goal of a “terror-free Turkey” and will not allow “any terrorist group, especially the SDF,” to entrench itself in the region under various labels.

The March 10 Agreement

On March 10, al-Sharaa signed what was described as a “historic” agreement with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi to integrate the SDF’s military and civilian institutions into the Syrian government.

The Autonomous Administration said the March 10 deal and subsequent meetings between al-Sharaa and Abdi were “an important step toward building common ground for constructive dialogue.”

While these meetings were marked by a positive atmosphere and genuine will for compromise, the Administration noted that “this spirit has yet to translate into practical measures on the ground,” raising doubts about Damascus’ seriousness in seizing what it called a “historic opportunity” for a solution.

An SDF statement said that all specialized committees in northeastern Syria, including those tasked with constitutional, administrative, security, and service-related files, remain ready to begin work “as soon as Damascus sets a timeline.”