“He gets along very well with Turkey and President Erdogan. We’re also working with Israel on getting along with Syria.”
By United with Israel Staff
In a historic White House meeting on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former leader of the Islamist militant group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, which had been aligned with al-Qaeda before severing ties in 2017.
Responding to questions about a possible agreement between Syria and Israel, Trump said, “You can expect statements from Syria. We want to see Syria become a country that is very successful, and we think this leader can do it. He gets along very well with Turkey and President Erdogan. We’re also working with Israel on getting along with Syria.”
However, al-Sharaa told Fox News that Syria is not planning to enter the Abraham Accords, ruling out a broader peace deal with Israel at this time.
“Syria has borders with Israel, and Israel has occupied the Golan Heights since 1967. We are not entering direct negotiations at this time. Perhaps the U.S. administration with President Trump can help us reach such talks,” President al-Sharaa said.
Reflecting on al-Sharaa’s history, Trump acknowledged, “The Syrian President had a rough past — but who among us hasn’t?”
He praised al-Sharaa further, saying, “He’s a very strong leader. He comes from a very tough place. Tough guy. I like him,” Trump said, noting the dramatic rise of a man who once had a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head and who stormed to power last December, leading rebel forces that toppled Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
The White House meeting, attended by Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Shibani, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu, included discussions about implementing previous agreements, including integrating Kurdish forces into Syrian state institutions.
The U.S. side also expressed support for a potential security arrangement with Israel aimed at strengthening regional stability.
For Israel, the summit offers cautious optimism. Trump’s personal endorsement of al-Sharaa, combined with the potential for gradual Syrian cooperation and coordination with Turkey, underscores the U.S. commitment to Israel’s central role in regional security. While direct Israel-Syria negotiations remain on hold, the summit marks a notable step toward potential cooperation and greater regional stability.
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