In a region where too much trust is triggering, Israel is taking no chances
An unexpected partner may be looking to join the Abraham Accords: Avraham Avinu’s old haunt, Syria.
US congressmen Cory Mills and Marlin Stutzman, both Republicans, took a fact-finding trip to Damascus last week, meeting with Ahmed al-Sharaa, hamechuneh Abu Mohammed Al-Julani, the possible former Al-Qaeda operative and future Syrian president. The two returned with bright and bushy promises, claiming the interim Syrian leader wants to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for US sanctions relief.
Syria has been taking an incessant pounding as Israel, distrustful of al-Sharaa’s intentions, seeks to annihilate Assad armaments and torpedo a Turkish takeover. The new regime has been unwilling or unable to fight back. Shattered by 14 years of civil war, Syria is still subject to crushing US sanctions imposed on the evil Assad regime over its human rights abuses and left in place due to Sharaa’s terrorist skeletons.
The Trump administration has said its preconditions for lifting sanctions are Syrian cooperation on counter-terrorism, elimination of remaining chemical weapons, and assurances to Israel. Al-Sharaa has asked for sanctions relief, guarantees from Israel to stop thumping it, and “leaving Syria whole,” meaning keeping its Druze under his control.
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