‘How can you accept a killer’ as preside

Hasson, who was born in the Druze town of Daliyat al-Karmel, began by stressing the central role the Druze have played in Syria’s history.

However, Hasson said that the situation changed dramatically under the Assad regime, prompting many Druze to refuse military service to avoid becoming complicit in civilian killings. “They refused to serve in the army—not to be killers.”

But the real turning point, Hasson said, was the emergence of Abu Mohammed al-Golani, a former commander of Jabhat al-Nusra and an internationally designated terrorist.

When asked whether the U.S. was “playing with fire” by attempting to normalize al-Sahraa, Hasson did not mince words. “He will be [a terrorist]. When someone is born a terrorist, he will continue. He will not be democratic.”

In his view, the solution is clear: “We cannot trust this man. … We must kill this terrible terrorist. And we must destroy his government because they are not Syrian.”

Hasson accused al-Sharaa of aiming to expand his influence beyond Syria. “He said, ‘We will meet in Jerusalem.’ For what? To have peace?” He added, “We know these people that they have only one way. If you will believe in the Islamic jihad, in his way and his thinking, you are okay. If you belong to another minority, to another religion, you are against him.”

When asked about reports that the Syrian government had begun removing Bedouin from Druze areas, Hasson said it was a ploy.

“He’s trying to give another picture to America and Israel” that he removed the Bedouin. “But we don’t believe him because just this morning, they bombed our villages in Syria.”

He decried the fact that there were no leaders in the region standing with Israel.