Israeli Druze MK Slams ‘Killer’ Syrian Leader, Warns of Regional Fallout
In a candid sit-down with The Media Line, veteran Israeli Druze politician Akram Hasson didn’t hold back. Speaking with Felice Friedson, Hasson blasted US efforts to engage Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa—better known as ex-Jabhat al-Nusra commander Abu Mohammad al-Jolani—as a dangerous gamble with deadly consequences. To Hasson, al-Jolani isn’t a reformed leader—he’s a “killer” whose track record includes massacres of Druze, Kurds, Yazidis and Alawites, often within days of promising them safety.
Hasson reminded viewers that the US once offered $10 million for al-Jolani’s capture. Now, he said, Washington risks whitewashing a man backed by foreign fighters from Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, paid to slaughter Syrian civilians. This isn’t just a Syrian problem, Hasson warned—it’s a direct threat to Israel.
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While he credited President Donald Trump as a friend of Israel, Hasson argued that Trump’s dealmaking style—successful in the Abraham Accords—simply doesn’t work with leaders like al-Jolani. Peace, he said, is impossible unless minorities have a seat at the table and real elections are held.
He didn’t stop there. Hasson accused Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey of arming al-Jolani’s forces, reserving special criticism for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whom he accused of slaughtering Kurds while claiming to champion democracy. Hasson vowed to take evidence to the United Nations and the International Criminal Court.
Wearing a yellow pin for hostages still held in Gaza, Hasson spoke with deep emotion about fallen Druze soldiers and pledged, “We’ll give our blood” to bring captives home. The fight against Hamas, he insisted, is non-negotiable: “No one in our government can accept a future where Hamas continues to rule Gaza.”
Hasson’s conversation with Friedson is blunt, urgent, and unflinching—well worth watching in full on Facing the Middle East – Episode 12 on YouTube.
