Syria’s President Ahmed Al-Sharaa will visit France on Wednesday, May 7, marking his first European visit, according to Reuters.
French President Emmanuel Macron will emphasize France’s support for the construction of a new Syria as “a free, stable, sovereign Syria that respects all components of Syrian society,” according to a statement by the French Presidency.
The statement also said that Wednesday’s meeting would be a living proof of France’s dedication to providing Syrian people with peace and democracy.
In February, Macron invited Syria’s new interim leader to visit France.
The French President repeated the invitation in March. However, he made it conditional on the formation of an inclusive Syrian government representing “all components of civil society”, describing his initial negotiations with the interim leaders as “positive”.
Israeli Escalation
Importantly, the visit comes after an Israeli airstrike that targeted the vicinity of the Presidential Palace in Damascus.
The strike was “a clear message to the Syrian regime: We will not allow (Syrian) forces to deploy south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community”, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement.
Syria’s government described the bombing a “dangerous escalation” amid increasing hostility between the neighbors.
The Israeli airstrike came after Israel warned the Syrian government against advancing toward villages inhabited by the Druze minority in southern Syria.
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December, Israel has been intensifying military operations in Syria through several bombings across the country. Meanwhile, it has also been calling for decentralization and isolation of Syria.
Mainly, Israel has formed its stance based on its suspicion of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and a desire to protect the Druze.
Currently, it is deploying its troops in southern Syria to prevent the return of hostile actions against Druze villages emphasizing its readiness for defense and “various scenarios”.
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