Syrian President Al-Sharaa’s Commitment to Peace with Israel: A Historic Meeting with Trump
Syrian President Al-Sharaa Meets Trump in Riyadh, Pledges to Pursue Peace with Israel as Part of Abraham Accords.
Watan-The Times newspaper published a report by David Charter and Samer Al-Atrash stating that Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa pledged, before his meeting with President Donald Trump in Riyadh on Wednesday, to work towards peace with Israel.
This meeting came after Trump announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria.
It was the first meeting between an American and a Syrian president in 25 years.
President Trump described Al-Sharaa as a “young and attractive man” after he personally committed to normalizing Syria’s relations with Israel.
Syrian Leader Al-Sharaa’s Pledge to Recognize Israel and Join Abraham Accords, Aligning with U.S. on Iran Influence
The Syrian leader, who once led “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham,” severed ties with “Al-Qaeda” and remains on the U.S. terrorism list, said his goal was to recognize Israel and join the Abraham Accords, which Trump considers a major foreign policy achievement of his first term.
According to an informed source, Al-Sharaa told the American president that he first wanted to stabilize the country before proceeding with the process. The 42-year-old Al-Sharaa met with Trump in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who joined via video conference.
The newspaper reported that Al-Sharaa’s stance against Iran brings him closer to Washington. He has previously criticized Tehran’s influence and its affiliated groups in the Middle East, accusing them of destabilizing the region. Last year, he claimed Iran’s influence had diminished by 40 years after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the collapse of its army. In an interview with an Arabic TV channel, he said, “By removing the militias and preventing Iranian influence in Syria, we serve the interests of the region.”
Trump told Gulf leaders that he was “honored” to lift sanctions on Syria to give it “a fresh start.”
While aboard Air Force One on his way to Doha, Trump told reporters that Al-Sharaa is “young, attractive, tough, with a strong past, a very strong past, a fighter.”
Al-Sharaa’s Shift from Al-Qaeda to Diplomacy: Trump’s Support for Syria’s Potential Role in Abraham Accords
Al-Sharaa spent years fighting Americans in Iraq and was imprisoned in one of their facilities there. However, in 2016, he announced his separation from Al-Qaeda, although the U.S. had placed a $10 million reward for information leading to his capture. The Biden administration canceled the reward in December after his meeting with U.S. officials in Damascus.
Trump said that Al-Sharaa “has a chance to unify Syria.” He added, “I spoke with Erdoğan, who treats him warmly, and he said that Al-Sharaa has a chance to do well. It’s a broken country.”
Trump also believes that Syria will eventually join the Abraham Accords: “I think they need to improve their situation. I told him: I hope you join when the situation improves. He said yes. But they have a lot of work to do.”
When asked whether there was any discussion about potentially building a “Trump Tower” in Damascus after Al-Sharaa informed intermediaries of the possibility, Trump replied: “No, I haven’t heard about that. We have to wait a bit for things to calm down in the country. I think he has the potential; he’s a real leader. He led a campaign, and he’s really impressive.”
Trump urged Syria to cooperate with the U.S. on counterterrorism issues, including deporting “Palestinian terrorists” and taking responsibility for the prisons holding ISIS members and their families.
The Times understands that Al-Sharaa does not plan to challenge Israel’s control over the Golan Heights, a strategically important area occupied by Israel in 1967, nor the buffer zone it created after the collapse of Assad’s regime. This is part of his agreement with Trump to work towards the Abraham Accords.
