Syrian FM, US antisemitism envoy hold rare talks in New York

Kaploun earlier this month met Mohamed bin Zayed, president of the United Arab Emirates, in Abu Dhabi.

By JNS

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani met U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun in New York on Wednesday, on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly, according to Syria’s Foreign Ministry.

“During the meeting, a number of issues of common interest were discussed, as well as ways to enhance dialogue and communication in a manner that serves shared interests,” the ministry said.

Syria’s state news agency SANA separately reported the meeting and said the sides discussed matters of mutual interest and strengthening dialogue.

Kaploun earlier this month met Mohamed bin Zayed, president of the United Arab Emirates, in Abu Dhabi.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa addressed the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, accusing Israel of “launching attacks against Syria” and claiming that the Golan Heights “will remain Syrian territories.”

He demanded that Israeli forces pull back to positions held prior to the fall of the Assad regime.

Citing U.N. Security Council Resolution 497, al-Sharaa warned that Damascus would counter any moves infringing on Syrian sovereignty, rejecting what he described as Israeli efforts to impose a fait accompli on the strategic plateau.

Al-Sharaa accused Israel of carrying out 500 airstrikes, more than 1,200 cross-border incursions and 300 detentions inside Syria, describing the operations as aggression running counter to international law.

Reaffirming Syria’s adherence to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, he urged Israeli troops to withdraw to the lines of Dec. 8, 2024, while noting that Damascus remains open to a just peace that safeguards regional rights and security.

Jerusalem maintains that the Golan Heights is an integral, non-negotiable part of sovereign Israel, permanently anchored under its 1981 Golan Heights Law, while insisting that the deployment of Israel Defense Forces troops across the border following the December 2024 collapse of the Assad regime is a vital defensive buffer against hostile factions that will remain in place until ironclad security guarantees are established.