Latest news with #AbrahamAccords
Fox News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Pro-Israel congressman accuses Tel Aviv of ‘mocking' Trump with ‘suicidal' strikes in Syria
Print Close By Morgan Phillips Published July 18, 2025 EXCLUSIVE: In a rare public rebuke of Israeli military action, Rep. Joe Wilson, R‑S.C., issued a harsh warning that recent airstrikes on Syria are "suicidal" for Tel Aviv. "I'm the co‑chair of the Israel caucus and a lifelong supporter of the State of Israel," Wilson told Fox News Digital in an emotional phone call, "I am heartsick." He said the strikes on Syria's military headquarters were "insulting and mocking to President [Donald] Trump," who just recently lifted sanctions on Syria after meeting with leader Ahmed al-Sharaa to give Damascus a "chance" at economic prosperity after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Wilson said he had a tense phone call with Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, urging him to share his warning back home that Israel must stop the strikes. RUBIO SAYS ISRAEL STRIKE ON SYRIAN MILITARY HEADQUARTERS 'LIKELY A MISUNDERSTANDING' Only weeks ago, there were back-channel talks between Israel and Syria on a possible normalization deal. Now, not only are those talks out the window, but the strikes will complicate work on a U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords-style deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, Wilson said. "It's so sad to me, it's so detrimental." He warned that fractures in Syria could ripple across the region — undermining emerging ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, straining NATO relations with Turkey, fracturing Druze unity in Jordan and increasing instability among Kurdish populations across Syria, Iraq, Turkey and Iran. He added that such fragmentation would open the door for an ISIS resurgence, targeting Israel first. Wilson also pointed to broader geopolitical consequences, noting the strikes empower Iran and bolster Russia's presence in Syria. "Efforts should be made to expel [Vladimir Putin's forces], not to create destabilization," he said, asserting that Moscow uses its Syrian bases to project naval power across Africa and the Mediterranean. "What is being done is actually beneficial to Iran. The more destabilization, the greater opportunity Iran has to destabilize other countries, whether it be further destabilization of Iraq, and then also it plays into the hands of war criminal Putin." This week, Israel's national security minister Ben Gvir said Israel must "eliminate" al-Sharaa. On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the nation struck to defend Druze minority communities in Syria, fearing the Syrian leadership would soon strike Israelis. "I did not trust Assad the father, nor Assad the son, and I certainly do not trust a leader like Julani," he said, referring to al-Sharaa by his former name. ISRAEL-IRAN WAR DIVIDES DEMOCRATS, BUT TRUMP'S DIPLOMACY ALSO SPLITTING REPUBLICANS He claimed al-Sharaa "relies on jihadist groups that he operates against minorities in Syria, and tomorrow he will operate them against Israeli communities in the Golan Heights. "The moment we understood that the Syrian regime was behind the attacks and a partner in the massacre of the Druze — we acted against them with full force." The Druze community also has a sizable population in Israel. Wilson called the assertion "totally contrived and misunderstood." "It's so sad to me that they're taking the eye off the enemy. The enemy is Khamenei and the enemy is the head of the snake. It is not Damascus. The head of the snake is Tehran." "They're opening the door for Tehran to rebuild Hamas to rebuild Hezbollah, to replenish and they already have the Houthis. So, it's just crazy. And again, it's suicidal. If you can't figure out who your enemy is, then you're opening the door for massive loss of life within Israel itself." Syria's leader accused Israel of sowing discord by striking in defense of the Druze, who were involved in deadly sectarian clashes that threaten the nation's fragile unity. Washington is also intensifying pressure for de-escalation. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The Trump administration has formally urged Israel to halt its strikes and pursue direct talks with Damascus. Special U.S. envoy Tom Barrack reportedly made several calls to Prime Minister Netanyahu's adviser, Ron Dermer, pressing for restraint. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the strikes as a "troubling and horrifying situation," adding that the U.S. is "very concerned" and wants the fighting to stop. The Israeli defense ministry could not be reached for comment. Print Close URL
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Trump And Netanyahu On A Collision Course? Israel Bombs Syria, Setback To US' Normalization Bid
Israel and the US appear to be on divergent paths in Syria and this could complicate the Trump administration's plans for a normalization of ties between both nations. The July 16 strikes on Damascus marked a significant Israeli escalation against the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa and came despite his warming ties with the US and security contacts with claimed that its attack was in response to requests from Druze inside Israel for intervention, but this clashes with Trump's vision. When Trump the US President met Sharaa in Riyadh in May, he asked him to join the Abraham Accords - the diplomatic agreements between Israel, Morocco, Bahrain and the UAE that Trump sees as one of his signature foreign policy achievements. The Israeli strikes are being seen as a direct rejection of Trump's efforts. n18oc_world n18oc_crux
New York Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
How Trump can mold the Mideast in his own deal-making image
Just weeks after the US-Israeli victory over Iran, President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu show no signs of resting on their laurels. Indeed, the two leaders appear determined not just to halt Iranian nuclear proliferation, but to fundamentally remake the region for the better. When I served as secretary of state in the first Trump administration, our team recognized that the toxic dynamics of the Middle East could only be reshaped by demonstrating that shared interests can overcome historical grievances and weaken bad actors. Iran, we knew, has been the primary source of bloodshed and instability since the mullahs came to power in 1979. The diminishment of Iran's regional power in recent weeks presents a golden opportunity to build a bright future for the entire region. Right now, the Iranian regime is historically weak — but it won't be licking its wounds forever. We need a comprehensive strategy to keep up the pressure, so that Tehran can never regain its ability to project power and threaten the lives of Americans. We need Israel to win its war against Iran's 'Ring of Fire' proxies and extinguish them for good, to reinforce the futility of cooperating with Iran to other regional powers. And we need a renewed maximum-pressure campaign that uses all available points of leverage to ensure that Iran can pose no further threat to America and our allies. Israel's accomplishments over the past 21 months have been nothing short of extraordinary. Since Hamas — Iran's blood-soaked proxy — launched its barbaric Oct. 7 attacks, Israel has fought a seven-front war against Iran and its terrorist network with remarkable success. Israel is still fighting to destroy Hamas as a military and governing entity, and its victory remains key to the goal of finishing Iran as a regional power. Achieving that goal will open up new avenues for peace and cooperation between Israel and its neighbors. Several Arab nations are reportedly in talks to join the Abraham Accords, a direct result of Israel's military successes and the collapse of Iranian influence. As Iran's clout fades, more nations will see that their future lies in normalization and economic cooperation with Israel — not endless conflict and grievance. Expanding America's maximum-pressure campaign against Tehran is another critical component. This means re-imposing the tough economic sanctions we put in place against the Iranian regime during the first Trump administration, renewing its diplomatic isolation and continuing our willingness to use hard power against Iran and its proxies should they threaten the United States, our allies or our interests. The first iteration of maximum pressure was tremendously successful, slashing billions in revenue the Iranians needed to fund terrorism and their illegal nuclear program. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters With Iran's military infrastructure and proxy forces at their weakest in years, we now have the opportunity to make those gains permanent. There's another pressure point we must exploit: the Iranian people's hunger for freedom. Tehran's theocratic dictatorship rules through lies, fear and brutal oppression because it knows it has zero legitimacy with its own people. The regime is deeply unpopular. It has been gripped by economic crisis and social unrest for years — and only survived the mass pro-democracy protests of 2022 through abject brutality. There are few things the Ayatollah and his cronies fear more than the Iranian people themselves. We should use that fear against them — not by attempting to impose 'regime change' on the country, but by supporting the democratic aspirations of Iran's organized opposition movement. This would provide a powerful source of leverage while we work to neutralize Iran's threat to our national security. And while America is not — and should not be — in the business of attempting to replace Iran's government, we should be prepared for the possibility that this weak and despised regime may someday fall. If and when that happens, it would be in our interest to see pro-democracy forces rise and prevent the emergence of a dangerous power vacuum. The Trump administration can advocate forcefully for the Iranian people on the world stage, and the president can use his unparalleled platform to draw attention to the abuses inflicted upon them by their government. In addition to rhetorical support, Washington should improve our coordination with Iran's democratic opposition, and encourage them to develop a clear plan for a peaceful transition in the event of regime collapse. Thanks to Trump and Netanyahu's bold leadership, a regional transformation may finally be at hand. But this historic opportunity depends upon permanently destroying the Islamic Republic's ability to project power. If America and Israel stay the course, I'm optimistic that we're within striking distance of delivering what once seemed an impossible goal: lasting peace and prosperity to the Middle East. Mike Pompeo was US secretary of state from 2018 to 2021.
Politico
2 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Trump envoy says hostage deal with Hamas is close
'They continue to hold out. Israel continues to kick their ass, and yet they still think they have leverage,' Boehler said. The special envoy also said that were a deal to fall through, it would be because of that hard headedness. Boehler also voiced optimism about the prospect of expanding the Abraham Accords — a series of agreements which saw several Arab countries formally recognize Israel for the first time. Even with Israel's wars across the Middle East in recent years, he said the agreements are holding up, adding that the administration is focused on expanding the agreements. 'The accords that we drove in President Trump's administration the first time, they held strong,' Boehler said. 'It was a totally different Middle East than if we had been in the war years before.' Boehler is the only member of the Trump administration speaking at the annual national security conference this year. Boehler's colleague, Ambassador to Turkey and Syria special envoy Tom Barrack, pulled out of his Friday speaking engagement at the conference at the last minute on Wednesday in light of Israeli strikes against the Syrian capital. More dramatically, the Pentagon on Monday pulled a series of senior military commanders and other Pentagon officials, arguing the conference does not align with the Defense Department's values. A Pentagon spokesperson, Kingsley Wilson, called the officially nonpartisan conference an 'evil den of globalism.' Boehler was not asked about the administration's near-boycott of the event, and he did not bring up the Pentagon's decision to pull its speakers. Asked by a reporter in the audience if the Biden administration should have begun directly negotiating with Hamas earlier in the conflict, he declined to comment. In his response, Boehler also pushed back on the suggestion that the U.S. made 'unilateral' deals with Hamas, saying: 'We always were working with the Israeli side.' Boehler was criticized by supporters of the Israeli government earlier this year for circumventing the Israeli government and negotiating directly with the militant group to secure the release of Edan Alexander, a dual Israeli-American citizen who was taken hostage during the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.
Wall Street Journal
2 days ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
A Violent Week for the Syrian Experiment
The talk of Syria joining the Abraham Accords, common as recently as last week, now appears premature, to put it lightly. After regime forces committed atrocities against the Druze minority in southern Syria, Israeli jets bombed Syria's military headquarters in Damascus and struck near the presidential palace on Wednesday. This halts the momentum of Ahmed al-Sharaa's new Damascus regime, which seems to have miscalculated and failed to restrain its own forces. Israel will also need to be careful wading into Syria's sectarian conflict. It's one thing to prevent a massacre by bombing Syrian forces advancing on the Druze-majority province of Sweida, and another to make ostentatious strikes on the Syrian capital. The conflict in Sweida picked up with communal violence between Bedouins and Druze, a non-Muslim minority. Syria's Defense and Interior ministries took that as an opening to do what Israel has warned against: Deploying troops south of Damascus to bring the Druze to heel. After walking into an ambush by a Druze militia, Syrian forces escalated. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that 83 people were executed by regime forces, out of 597 dead on all sides over four days. Looting and destruction were widespread, and videos circulated of soldiers humiliating Druze men and clerics.
