![Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa gives a speech in the capital Damascus, Syria on March 13, 2025. [İzettin Kasım - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AA-20250313-37327514-37327513-SYRIAN_PRESIDENT_AHMED_ALSHARAA_SIGNS_INTERIM_CONSTITUTIONAL_DECLARATION_IN_DAMASCUS-1.jpg?fit=1163%2C800&ssl=1)
Former British diplomat, Craig Murray, has claimed that Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani, has privately assured the UK that Syria will normalise ties with Israel, formally recognising the occupation state, and exchange ambassadors by the end of 2026.
“The move by the Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) militant group leader Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani is aimed at attracting substantial Western financial support and the lifting of sanctions on Syria,” Murray explained.
“I asked whether the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from Syria was part of the deal, and surprisingly, this was not raised by either side. The UK regards it as a bilateral matter between Syria and Israel, and Al-Jolani does not appear to prioritise Israeli withdrawal,” he added, highlighting part of his conversation with a British diplomatic source.
Murray also stated that the European Union’s External Action Service (EEAS) and its Directorate General for International Partnerships believe Al-Jolani’s transitional government aligns with promises made during the EU Pledging Conference in Brussels on 17 March, including the inclusion of Alawite and Christian communities and the appointment of women to ministerial roles.
However, he pointed out that the cabinet is largely controlled by Al-Jolani’s loyalists, who hold nearly all major portfolios such as defence, foreign affairs, finance and interior. Of the 24 ministers, only three represent minority groups, and only one woman is included, a Christian from Canada. There is also one Kurd, one Alawite and one Druze.
The Brussels conference committed €5.5 million ($6.25 million) in loans and grants to Syria, with half coming directly from the EU.
Murray further alleged that Al-Jolani enjoys support from both MI6 and UK special forces operating in Syria. He suggested that Western backers ultimately aim to consolidate power under Al-Jolani’s pro-Israel government, and that a purge of more radical factions within his ranks may eventually follow.
READ: Anger in Israel as US says it’s withdrawing from Syria