Momentum builds for Israel-Syria peace
President Donald Trump meets with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in this handout released on May 14, 2025. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
For the first time, Syrians are openly calling for
peace with Israel
. In an interview with Fox News Digital, journalist Furat Alali from Damascus said, 'We want a future without wars. We want to live. People are not afraid to speak up anymore.'
Her statement reflects a significant shift in the country's political landscape, as many Syrians begin to openly discuss the prospect of peace with Israel. This change comes at a time when Syria and Israel are engaged in direct talks as Reuters revealed on Tuesday, marking a dramatic departure from the decades-long hostility between the two nations.
Reuters reported
, Israel and Syria have recently held direct meetings focused on security issues along their shared border. These talks represent a major step in the relationship between the two countries, which have been adversaries for decades.
Sources familiar with the discussions have indicated that the U.S. has played a pivotal role in facilitating these talks, encouraging Syria's new leadership to engage with Israel.
The discussions come after a shift in U.S. policy, following President
Donald Trump's
meeting with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa earlier this month. The meeting signaled a break from decades of U.S. hostility toward Syria's Assad regime and opened the door to potential normalization between Syria and Israel.
While the talks are still in the early stages, Trump's engagement has raised the possibility of Syria's leadership eventually normalizing ties with Israel, although this process will likely take time.
Furat Alali explained: 'We don't want to be part of the Axis of Resistance anymore. The Palestinian cause has been used to oppress us. We feel sympathy for the Palestinians, but now we need to focus on
Syria and our future.'
Lina Ali, a 24-year-old pharmacist from Latakia, told Fox News Digital, 'We feel for the people of Gaza. We condemn the mass killings, but we are in a different situation. We are thinking about our own interests now. The idea of exploiting the Palestinian cause to oppress the Syrian people has been rejected. We are tired of this.'
Another young woman interviewed by Jusoor News, a Pan-Arab media outlet, shared similar thoughts: 'We are for anything that serves our country's interest. We've lived through difficult times. The country's economy is very weak. It's time for people to live.'
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