US Envoy signals Syrian President’s desire for peace with Israel

DARAMSUQ — Amid emerging reports of Syrian-Israeli negotiations, US Ambassador to Turkey and Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack stated that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has expressed no hostility toward Israel and is committed to fostering peaceful relations along the Syrian-Israeli border.

Barrack emphasized that President al-Sharaa “does not hate Israel” and seeks to establish harmonious ties, extending this outlook to Lebanon as well. He described a potential Israeli-Syrian agreement as not only possible but “necessary” for regional stability.

In a recent press interview, Barrack linked the urgency of peace deals with Syria and Lebanon to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, framing it as a critical turning point for the Middle East. “The Iran-Israel war should be a wake-up call. It’s time to forge a new path,” he remarked, adding that a ceasefire in Gaza is likely to take effect soon.

Barrack also cited regional exhaustion from prolonged conflict and advocated for a return to the principles of the Abraham Accords as a pathway toward broader regional peace, especially as Gaza stabilizes.

Addressing US-Turkey tensions over sanctions related to the F-35 fighter jet program, Barrack expressed optimism. He suggested that US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are committed to resolving the dispute, with directives to their foreign ministers expected by the year’s end.