Syria is too tired of conflict to challenge Israel, its new leader said in his first attempt to answer the outside world’s questions over the country’s future after the downfall of Bashar al-Assad.
Abu Mohammed al-Jolani — now referring to himself by his real name, Ahmed al-Shara, rather than his nom de guerre — told Syrian television that from now on he would seek diplomatic solutions to the country’s numerous crises.
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He was speaking as western and other leaders considered how to handle the new leadership in Damascus, with both Jolani and the group he heads, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), proscribed around the world for terrorism.
Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, said American officials had been in touch with HTS. At the