Washington: Israel's defense minister has publicly declared his lack of trust in Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, according to local media reports. This statement was made during a meeting in Washington with US Senator Ted Cruz, where Israel Katz accused Sharaa of potentially leveraging what he termed 'jihadist groups' against Israel in the future.

According to Anadolu Agency, Katz emphasized that Israel's security relies solely on divine protection and the Israeli Defense Forces. He expressed skepticism towards the main rulers of Syria's former Baath regime, which concluded last December. Katz voiced his distrust of both Hafez Assad and Bashar Assad, and extended this sentiment towards Sharaa, accusing him of using jihadist groups against minorities in Syria and potentially targeting Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights.

The Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since 1967, was a focal point in Katz's concerns. The Syrian presidency recently declared a ceasefire in Suwayda after significant unrest in the southern province. Clashes erupted on July 13 between Bedouin Arab tribes and armed Druze groups, escalating to Israeli airstrikes on Syrian military sites and infrastructure in Damascus. Israel justified these actions as protection for Druze communities.

Despite this, many Druze leaders in Syria have opposed foreign intervention and have reiterated their loyalty to a unified Syrian state. The collapse of Bashar Assad's regime in December 2024, which marked the end of the Baath Party's 61-year rule, coincided with an increased Israeli air campaign and the annulment of the buffer zone and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement between Syria and Israel. Assad, who led Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia, marking the end of the Baath regime.