Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda terrorist, says he is trying to respond to Israeli military actions in Syria with “patience and wisdom”—though it remains unclear how much of either a terrorist leader can truly muster, particularly after his forces just executed a bloody purge that left more than 1,000 dead across Syria.

Speaking to Reuters, Sharaa dismissed Israeli concerns that his new regime poses a security threat, despite his well-documented extremist past. Israel, which has secured a buffer zone along the border to prevent incursions, has vowed to keep southern Syria demilitarized and has been vocal in its warnings about the new government, repeatedly referring to Sharaa as an “al-Qaeda terrorist.”

Israel has also carried out a series of airstrikes aimed at crippling the Syrian army’s military capabilities.

“We are trying to use patience and wisdom as much as possible,” Sharaa claimed, seemingly unfazed by the thousands of lives lost at the hands of his own forces in recent weeks. “If there are fears, we have announced from the first moments that Syria will not pose a threat to any state in the region or the world.”

In response to Israeli concerns that his forces might attempt a cross-border attack, Sharaa scoffed at the idea, dismissing it as paranoia. “A delusional person can say whatever they want. Every person can imagine that he is suffering from some danger and carry out a preemptive strike and kill. But that is not justifiable.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)