Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa warned Tuesday that the Middle East would face a new round of tumult unless Israel reaches a security agreement with his transitional government that preserves sovereignty.
Sharaa, whose forces swept out longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, is making a landmark visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
He again voiced hope for a security agreement with Israel, which has unleashed massive attacks as it takes advantage of a moment of weakness in its historic adversary.
"We are not the ones creating problems for Israel. We are scared of Israel, not the other way around," he told an event of the Middle East Institute.
"There are multiple risks with Israel stalling on the negotiations and insisting on violating our airspace and incursions into our territory," he said.
He rejected any talk of partitioning his country, as Israel makes incursions and says it is championing the interests of the Druze minority.
"Jordan is under pressure, and any talk of partitioning Syria will hurt Iraq, will hurt Türkiye," he said.
"That will take us all back to square one," he said, noting that Syria had only just emerged from a decade-and-a-half of war.
In an earlier appearance, Sharaa played down prospects for a more historic agreement in which Syria would recognize Israel.
Also on Tuesday, US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said Syria and Israel are close to striking a "de-escalation" agreement in which Israel will stop its attacks while Syria will agree to not move any machinery or heavy equipment near the Israeli border.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of UN General Assembly meetings, Barrack said the agreement would serve as the first step towards the security deal that the two countries have been negotiating.
Syria and Israel are in talks to reach an agreement that Damascus hopes will secure a halt to Israeli airstrikes and the withdrawal of Israeli troops who have pushed into southern Syria.
