New York: At a summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa expressed hope for security talks with Israel but remained skeptical about joining the Abraham Accords, an agreement that facilitated the normalization of relations between Israel and three Arab nations. Sharaa emphasized his doubts regarding Israel's regional intentions, despite his optimism for a potential security deal aimed at easing long-standing tensions with Israel.
According to France24.com, Sharaa, who previously led rebel forces to overthrow former leader Bashar al-Assad in December, is in New York for the UN General Assembly. His visit marks the first time in decades that a Syrian leader will address the General Assembly. Syrian officials are aiming to reach military and security agreements with Israel by the end of the year, despite a history of military conflicts with the nation. Sharaa questioned Israel's intentions in the region and accused it of violating peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan. He also cited global anger over the situation in Gaza as a factor influencing Syria's stance on Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently expressed optimism about potential peace opportunities with both Syria and Lebanon, following an Israeli military campaign against Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Sharaa met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York, though neither made statements during their photo-op.
In addition to discussing security, Sharaa renewed his call for the US to lift sanctions imposed under the 2019 Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act. Although former US President Donald Trump had lifted most sanctions, the underlying legislation remains. Sharaa praised Trump's actions and urged the US Congress to eliminate the sanctions entirely, arguing that they unjustly burden the Syrian people, who have already suffered under previous regimes.
During an interview with retired General David Petraeus, Sharaa highlighted the potential for economic growth if sanctions were lifted, expressing confidence in Syria's workforce. He underscored the importance of removing these economic barriers to facilitate rebuilding efforts in the country.