Syrian rebel leader Al-Sharaa does not shake Baerbock’s hand

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot arrived in Syria on Friday for a visit around four weeks after the fall of long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad. In Damascus they met Syria’s new strongman, the head of the Islamist militia Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Ahmed al-Sharaa. The two are the first foreign ministers from major Western powers to be welcomed by the new Syrian leadership. A video shows him shaking hands with Barrot, but not with Baerbock – he places his hand on his chest in greeting. This isn’t particularly surprising for the Islamist. There is no official statement from the German Foreign Minister.