Maher Marwan, the new governor of Damascus, stated that Syria does not have a problem with Israel and wants to avoid threatening its security or any other country's security. He called on the United States to help improve relations with Israel. The leaders of Al-Qaeda affiliated Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) are seeking international legitimacy as the 'new Syria' after taking over the country. Marwan's comments come after Israel expressed concerns about the new Syrian government.