Recently, social media platforms have been buzzing with claims of an interview allegedly conducted by The Times of Israel on December 6, 2024, featuring Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
The interview has drawn significant attention, with reports suggesting al-Jolani expressed a willingness to form alliances with all regional actors, including Israel.
While these claims have been widely circulated, questions remain regarding the authenticity of the interview and its contents.
Did Al-Jolani Conduct an Interview With the Times of Israel?
On December 6, 2024, The Times of Israel published an article titled "Syrian Rebel Commander Urges Israel to Support Uprising, Strike Iran-Backed Forces." The article stated that the interview was conducted with an officer from the Free Syrian Army who chose to remain anonymous. However, there was no indication in the report that the interviewee was Abu Mohammad al-Jolani.
When asked about his vision for future relations between Syria and Israel, the Free Syrian Army officer stated that if they succeeded in overthrowing Bashar Assad’s regime, they would seek full peace with Israel and live side by side as neighbors.
The officer added, “Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, we have never made any critical comments against Israel. Hopefully, we will coexist in harmony and transform this region, taking it from a state of war to one of economic progress, perhaps with Israeli and American aid for reconstruction. We will pursue a different path than Iran and Hezbollah.”
The officer also emphasized the need for a clear political stance from Israel against the Assad regime, saying, “We need a political signal to build trust with the Syrian people.”
The article included a picture of al-Jolani, which sparked much of the speculation online. This image accompanied the officer’s response to a question about Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
The officer described Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as an Islamic group born out of the Syrian branch of al-Qaida, led by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, who “expressed support for Hamas’s brutal onslaught on October 7, 2023.” However, the group has never directly threatened Israel.
The officer remarked that once the Assad regime is overthrown, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham would likely be pressured to abandon its fundamentalist ideology and shift to the political center for Syria’s benefit.
Furthermore, he stated, “We are open to friendship with everyone in the region—including Israel. We don’t have enemies other than the Assad regime, Hezbollah, and Iran. What Israel did against Hezbollah in Lebanon helped us a great deal. We are now handling the rest.”
The Free Syrian Army, established in July 2011, was formed by defecting officers from the Syrian regime's military.
Al-Jolani’s CNN Interview
Days after opposition forces successfully seized control of several cities previously held by the regime, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani appeared in a televised interview on CNN Arabic on December 6, 2024. This marked his first public appearance in a long time.
In the interview, al-Jolani stated that opposition forces relied on military equipment and arms captured from the Syrian Army years ago. He criticized the regime’s military, saying, “The Syrian Army was not built as a national army to defend the country; the majority of its members were forcibly recruited to protect the regime.”
Al-Jolani argued that the Syrian regime has used its military and security apparatus to oppress and pressure the Syrian people. He claimed the regime's army was structured along sectarian lines, with the primary goal of preserving its hold on power and protecting the ruling family's interests, which he alleged have monopolized the country's resources.
Regarding the swift and seemingly effortless capture of major Syrian cities, al-Jolani commented, “This shows that the Syrian regime has been dead since the revolution began in 2011, despite Iran and Russia’s attempts to revive it.”
He added that while clashes and gunfire occurred during these advances, the cities remained largely intact, contrasting with the regime’s deliberate destruction of infrastructure, public institutions, and hospitals during its campaigns.
Al-Jolani stated that the ongoing battles to capture Syrian cities are aligned with the stages of the Syrian revolution. He emphasized that the revolution's ultimate goal has always been to overthrow the regime. He expressed hope that these military engagements would conclude soon, enabling Syria to focus on development and reconstruction.
He further said he envisions Syria as a center of development and stability rather than a source of crises threatening neighboring and other countries. He accused the Syrian regime of allying with Iran to occupy Arab nations.
Al-Jolani also addressed the designation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as a terrorist organization, calling it largely a political and inaccurate classification. He explained that certain extremist Islamic practices caused a rift between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and jihadist groups, and he denied any involvement in attacks on civilians.
He described Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as a faction of the resistance and part of the opposition. He speculated that the group could dissolve at any time, as it was initially formed to challenge and overthrow the regime.
Al-Jolani urged Iran to reconsider its involvement in Syria’s internal affairs and to respect the will of the Syrian people instead of aligning with the regime to kill civilians. He added that Iran could establish strategic relations with Syria like any other country, without deploying militias to fight Syrians.
Syrian Opposition Forces Enter Damascus
After gaining control of major Syrian provinces, opposition forces announced a series of withdrawals by the Syrian regime’s army from areas surrounding western Damascus. They also confirmed the launch of a special military operation from multiple fronts aimed at entering the capital.
On December 7, opposition forces stated they were only 20 kilometers from Damascus and had seized control of the towns of Kanaker and Fawj al-Midfaeia in the western Damascus countryside. This coincided with reports of Syrian regime withdrawals from the village of Artouz.
In response, the Syrian regime’s army released a statement announcing the reinforcement of troop deployments across the Damascus countryside and southern region to prevent any breaches. The statement also dismissed what it called “misleading videos and false reports about events across Syrian territory.”
During an inspection of police units in Damascus, Syrian Interior Minister Mohammed al-Rahmoun said, “There is an exceptionally strong security cordon around the outskirts of Damascus, and no one can break it.”
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