UNITED NATIONS: Syrian president Ahmad al-Sharaa on Wednesday addressed the UN General Assembly, becoming the first head of state from his country to do so in nearly 60 years.
Al-Sharaa declared that Syria was “reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world” after what he described as six decades of dictatorship that killed more than a million people and tortured hundreds of thousands.
The last Syrian leader to speak at the UN was Noureddine Attasi in 1967, shortly after the Arab-Israeli war in which Damascus lost the Golan Heights, later annexed by Israel in 1981.
End of Assad era The Assad family’s five-decade rule collapsed in December when Bashar al-Assad was ousted in an insurgent offensive led by al-Sharaa. His UN speech marked Syria’s first major international appearance since the regime’s fall.
Sharp words for Israel Al-Sharaa accused Israel of continuing to threaten Syria despite Assad’s ouster, saying its policies “contradict the international community’s support to Syria and its people” and could ignite wider regional conflict.
Talks have been under way on a possible deal that, according to al-Sharaa, could lead to a withdrawal of Israeli forces. He said last week that an agreement was possible “within days.” But Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, in remarks on Sunday, downplayed the chances of a breakthrough.
