Latest news with #IsraelSyria
Fox News
3 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Momentum builds for Israel-Syria peace as Trump reboots regional diplomacy
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." An elderly Syrian man explained to Jusoor, "We've spent 40-50 years preaching Arabism and liberating Palestine, and what do we have to show for it? Nothing. It's time for peace." The shift in Syria's stance on Israel is significant, especially given the historical enmity between the two nations. For decades, Syria and Israel have been locked in conflict, with the status of the Golan Heights remaining a key point of contention since its capture by Israel during the 1967 war. Syria's involvement in the Axis of Resistance, aligning with Iran and Hezbollah against Israel, has been a cornerstone of its foreign policy. However, the recent emergence of interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa has raised new possibilities, as well as concerns. Furat Ali said, "I was one of the journalists who extensively covered the violations of Jabhat al-Nusra before the fall of the Assad regime, the group Al-Jolani emerged from (using his previous name), which was part of al-Qaeda. I know exactly what they did. So, when I first heard that Al-Jolani was taking over Aleppo and challenging Assad, I was scared." "But as time went on," she added, "when he rebranded himself as Ahmed al-Sharaa and promised a new direction, I saw he was smart. He managed to convince the West to lift sanctions and engage with him, bringing back international recognition for Syria. While we remain skeptical and cautious, what we're seeing from Sharaa domestically is so far being accepted." Joseph Braude, founder and president of the Center for Peace Communications, highlighted the significance of the shift in public opinion within Syria. He noted, "People in Syria and Lebanon often associate the Palestinian issue with dictators who exploited it to justify corruption and brutality. There is a growing rejection of pro-Palestinian militancy, as many people now desire to turn the page and focus on new partnerships aimed at developing their own countries. "We believe that it has become a majority view in Syria that if peace with Israel brings economic development and improvements, then it's worth pursuing." He also pointed out that in countries dominated by Iran and its militias, ordinary people have the clearest understanding of the harm these groups cause. "They are among the most eager for a different future, increasingly calling for peace," Braude added. As one man interviewed by Jusoor News put it: "We've suffered years of oppression and war. It's time for reconstruction. We need peace with everyone," another Syrian added' "I support normalization a million percent! If normalization with Israel, or America or whoever can bring us comfort, then I'm on board. We just want peace!"
LBCI
08-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Behind closed doors: Secret Syria-Israel contacts hint at peace push
Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar Israeli officials have not ruled out the possibility that a surprise tied to U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to the region could involve significant progress toward agreements between Syria and Israel. This comes amid rapidly evolving developments on a front that remains tense. While reports have surfaced about close associates of the Syrian government secretly visiting Israel to reach an understanding that would ensure the security of the area, a well-informed source said the two countries are moving toward a peace agreement. However, Israeli officials have downplayed the likelihood of an agreement with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying that talks with him would not guarantee Israel's security requirements along the front. Instead, they have called for negotiations and agreements to be limited to Washington, with Israel working to prevent Iranian entrenchment in the region. Meanwhile, a third meeting between Israeli and Turkish officials is taking place in Azerbaijan, aimed at establishing a military mechanism to avoid friction between the two countries' forces on Syrian soil. Israel reportedly views the establishment of Turkish military bases in the Palmyra region as a red line and has raised two key demands: that no army forces posing a threat to Israel be stationed near the Syrian border or in buffer zones where the Israeli army is deployed, and that no strategic weapons capable of being used against Israel be allowed on Syrian territory. On the ground, the Israeli military is reorganizing its deployment in Syria. For the first time, Israeli Border Police units have entered buffer zones established by Israel. At the same time, work has begun on setting up a field medical facility in the town of Hader to provide direct treatment to wounded Druze fighters, instead of transferring them to Israel.
