US lifting sanctions on SyriaːTrump
RIYADH/DAMASCUS—President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would order the lifting of sanctions on Syria at the behest of Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, a major US policy shift ahead of an expected meeting with Syria’s Islamist President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Trump met with Sharaa on Wednesday before a summit between the US and Gulf Arab countries in Riyadh.
Trump urged the Syrian leader to normalize ties with Israel, a White House spokesperson said.
The former al-Qaida commander took power after Bashar al-Assad was toppled.
“I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” Trump told an investment forum in Riyadh, at the start of a tour of Gulf Arab states.
“It’s their time to shine. We’re taking them all off,” Trump said, “Good luck Syria, show us something very special.”
Trump said he made the decision after discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, whose governments have both strongly urged the lifting of sanctions.
Time to move forward
Removing US sanctions that cut Syria off from the global financial system will clear the way for greater engagement by humanitarian organizations working in Syria, easing foreign investment and trade as the country rebuilds.
The surprise move came despite deep Israeli suspicion of Sharaa’s administration, worries initially shared by some US officials.
Israeli officials have continued to describe Sharaa as a jihadist, though he severed ties with al-Qaida in 2016.
Israel’s government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Trump said he would remove all sanctions, saying they had served an important function, but it was time for Syria to move forward.
He said steps were being taken to restore normal relations with Syria, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio would meet his Syrian counterpart this week.
Turning point
Syrian foreign minister Asaad al-Shibani, in a statement to Reuters, said it marked a turning point for the Syrian people in their efforts to rebuild.
“We … stand ready to foster a relationship with the United States that is rooted in mutual respect, trust and shared interests,” Shibani said.
He also said Trump could get a “historic peace deal and victory for US interests in Syria,” without elaborating.
Joseph Aoun, president of neighboring Lebanon, hailed Trump’s “bold move” as another step on Syria’s path toward recovery and stability.
Alex Zerden, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, said Trump’s announcement would unwind a “Gordian knot” of sanctions, export controls and terrorist designations that had made Syria one of the most economically restricted countries, along with Iran, North Korea and Cuba.
State of war
Under Assad, Syria remained in a state of war with neighboring Israel, had close ties to Iran and Russia and turbulent relations with the West.
Since December, Israel’s military has occupied Syrian territory near the Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since 1967, while also carrying out regular airstrikes in the country.
Syrian officials have meanwhile signaled their openness to a detente and even eventual peace with Israel.
The decision is a major boost for Sharaa, who has been struggling to bring the country under the control of the Damascus government.
The challenges were laid bare in March when Assad loyalists attacked government forces, prompting revenge attacks in which Islamist gunmen killed hundreds of civilians from the Alawite minority, drawing strong US condemnation.
