Less than a year ago, then-US President-elect Donald Trump publicly distanced himself from events in Syria after the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad. He demanded: “Let it be resolved, let us not allow ourselves to be dragged away.” This recommendation went poorly: Washington is cooperating with Damascus in the transitional process, and this month the Republican received in the White House the new leader of that country, Ahmed al-Sharaa. This is the first visit of a head of state from an Arab country to Washington, and it is also the first occasion in which the American administration attacks a former Jewish leader who left for his own head by offering up to ten million dollars (one million new euros).
The meeting, whose main topic was security, was held every few months. It was included on Trump’s official agenda, but did not follow the usual protocol for visits by foreign representatives. Instead of entering through the main door, in the western wing of Casa Blanca, Al-Shara entered through a side door usually reserved for employees. There was no honorary escort with flags outside the entrance or photos of the leaders meeting.
The meeting was held completely behind closed doors, without the usual exchange of questions and answers with the press between Trump and a foreign leader at the presidential residence. During the meeting, only Casa Blanca confirmed that Al-Sharaa arrived at 11:37 local time (17:37 on the Spanish Peninsula).
Last week, Washington lifted the sanctions it imposed on the former jihadist leader and Foreign Minister Anas Jatab, for his leadership role in the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham militia and his relations with the Islamic Army and Al-Qaeda. The United Nations Security Council also revoked detentions against Syria. While Trump and Shara appeared at the White House for a two-hour meeting, the Treasury Department announced the suspension of part of its harshest sanctions on Syria, which it imposed under the name “Le Cesar,” for a period of 180 days.
For the United States, it is necessary to establish good relations with Syria, the main country linking the Mediterranean to Asia Minor. And also to ensure Israel’s security, prevent the influence of Iran and Russia in the Arab country and prevent the resurgence of ISIS or other similar groups in the region.
For the Damascus regime, formed in the wake of the blitz that toppled Assad and headed by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham – the Sharia-led rebel group that, until 2016, was affiliated with Al Qaeda -, it is essential that Syria reconnects with the rest of the world, gains international legitimacy, and receives aid for reconstruction that will require more than $200 million (about 170 million euros), according to world estimates. The bank can develop economic and diplomatic relations with Western powers.
American media in talks about a possible security agreement between Syria and Israel. Moreover, Washington plans to establish a military presence at an air base in Damascus, according to Reuters. The discussion between Al-Sharaa and Trump is also expected to address the possibility of Syria joining the US-led global coalition to fight ISIS. The Syrian forces coordinated on several occasions with the coalition, which is also working against ISIS cells in the region.
By the time Sharaa arrived in Washington this weekend, the Syrian Interior Ministry was waging a campaign against the jihadist organization’s cells across the country and had arrested more than 70 suspects.
The meeting in Casablanca comes as a continuation of the first meeting between the presidents of Syria and the United States, which was held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last May. In that meeting, which was hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump praised his interlocutor and described him as a leader with a “strong past.”
Trump then planted Sharia interests in which Syria is subject to the Abraham Accords, which is why several Muslim-majority countries have begun the process of normalizing relations with Israel. It’s a perspective that could also have been presented at the Citadel this month in Casablanca.
The Abraham Accords represent Trump’s first-term foreign policy achievement of which Trump is extremely proud, and of which he has a keen interest in expanding. Last week, Kazakhstan, the largest country in Central Asia, came together in a symbolic move: Astana maintains diplomatic and economic ties with Israel.
Next week she will visit Casa Blanca bin Salman. Washington has a special interest in summarizing these agreements with Saudi Arabia, the spiritual leader of the Arab countries and the economic power in the Near East, although Riyadh does not prioritize taking steps in this direction and does not resolve the future of Gaza and chart a reliable path towards establishing a Palestinian state.
Syria has also shown signs of its great interest in normalizing its relationship with the man who occupies part of the south of its territory in the Golan Heights, where the family of the current Syrian president is from, since the Six-Day War in 1967, and who recently invaded more Syrian territory under the pretext of protecting its national security.
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