URGENT UPDATE: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has just claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump supports his demand for Israel to withdraw troops from southern Syria. During an unprecedented visit to Washington, al-Sharaa, who previously had a $10 million bounty on his head as a leader of an Al Qaeda affiliate, made these assertions after meetings with Trump and senior administration officials.
In an exclusive interview with the Washington Post, al-Sharaa stated that there is still a “good distance to go” before Syria and Israel can finalize a potential security pact, which the U.S. aims to mediate. He highlighted the presence of Israeli troops in southern Syria as a significant barrier to peace negotiations. Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2022, Israeli forces took control of land west of the Golan Heights to establish a buffer zone amid ongoing violence from the Syrian Civil War.
Al-Sharaa is now calling for Israel to revert to the “December 8 borders,” further asserting that this demand is backed by Trump. He accused Israel of pursuing “expansionist ambitions” but notably did not tie the security agreement to a complete withdrawal from the Golan Heights, which Syria claims as occupied territory.
In a striking critique, al-Sharaa dismissed Israel’s demand for a demilitarized zone in southern Syria, questioning who would be responsible for any attacks on Israel coming from such a zone. He remarked, “Israel occupied the Golan Heights in order to protect itself, and now they impose conditions in southern Syria to safeguard the Golan. What’s next? Will they occupy the center of Syria to protect the south?”
Al-Sharaa’s visit has ignited political controversy among Trump’s supporters, particularly due to his history as a listed terrorist. Previously known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, he led the Al-Nusra Front, an Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, before it merged with other factions to form Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Under al-Sharaa’s leadership, the U.S. has recently lifted sanctions on Syria, and both Washington and London have delisted HTS from their lists of terrorist organizations.
Critics within Trump’s base express concern over his engagement with al-Sharaa. Influential far-right activist Laura Loomer condemned the meeting, suggesting that al-Sharaa should have been arrested upon arrival in the U.S. She stated on social media, “Who said ‘let’s invite the ISIS terrorist to the White House for a photo op in the Oval Office the day before Veterans Day?’”
Despite the controversial past, al-Nusra and HTS have not been associated with ISIS and have opposed it during the Syrian conflict due to ideological differences. On Tuesday, U.S. officials confirmed that Syria has joined the “Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS,” marking a pivotal moment in the fight against terrorism.
As developments unfold, all eyes remain on the implications of al-Sharaa’s statements and the potential shift in U.S.-Syria relations. What happens next could reshape the geopolitical landscape in the region.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.
