Enab Baladi – Hani Karazi
“The era of Western intervention in Syria and the Middle East is over, and the partitioning of Syria in the past was a big mistake,” unprecedented statements by Trump’s envoy to Syria reflect the American approach toward a new Middle East, with Syria as its starting point.
The US envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, stated via the “X” platform on May 25 that the tragedy of Syria was born from division, and its rebirth now comes from dignity, unity, and investment in its people.
Barrack added that the West imposed maps, mandates, and borders drawn in ink over a century ago, noting that the Sykes-Picot Agreement divided Syria and the surrounding region to achieve imperial gains rather than peace. “This mistake has cost entire generations, and we will not repeat this mistake again.”
In addition to Sykes-Picot, the US envoy believes that the rise of the Revolutionary Guard four decades ago caused sectarian division in the region, and that the interests of US allies, including Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, and Israel, lie in ending these divisions, as this would provide a counterbalance to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the regional ambitions fueled by Russian influence in the area.
Syria as a “gateway to peace”
The US envoy to Syria emphasized that the United States stands with Turkey, Gulf countries, and Europe—not through soldiers or lectures and drawing fictitious borders, but alongside the Syrian people themselves.
He explained that with the fall of the Assad regime, the door to peace has opened. “By lifting sanctions, we enable the Syrian people to finally open that door and discover a path to new prosperity and security.”
For its part, the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth stated that nearly 20 years ago, following the events of September 11, the Middle East was seen as “a perpetual battleground of Islamic chaos,” with analysts regarding the region as “caught between extreme Sunni movements like al-Qaeda, and Shiite rebels like Hezbollah and Iranian proxies.
Peace was elusive at that time, but in 2025, the Middle East does not appear as the world envisioned it after those events, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.
In this context, Syrian-American journalist and politician Ayman Abdel Nour stated to Enab Baladi that US President Donald Trump has a new vision for the Middle East, as he is not one of the traditional presidents. He is establishing a foreign policy to resolve issues among various hot spots in the world, whether between Israel and Hamas, between Russia and Ukraine, and even in Africa, where he has appointed a special envoy to end wars there.
Abdel Nour added that the goal of Trump’s new policy is to end wars, establish peace, and achieve economic development in the Middle East, so that the United States and its companies can participate in the development process and achieve economic gains. Thus, the US administration is keen to support the new Syrian administration to achieve that goal.
Trump supports a new Islamic model
President Donald Trump met with transitional Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, describing their meeting as “great,” marking a radical shift in the American stance toward al-Sharaa, whom Trump previously considered a “terrorist” when he led Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Trump stated aboard the plane taking him to Qatar on May 14 that “al-Sharaa is a true leader who led the revolution and is amazing,” adding that the Syrian president is “a charismatic young fighter with a very strong past, and he has a real opportunity to maintain Syria’s unity.”
Ayman Abdel Nour believes that the model Trump is implementing in Syria is based on a conservative Islamic model, or what was known as “national jihadist Salafism,” which opposes transnational jihadist Salafism. If this model succeeds, Trump may implement it in other regions of the world.
Abdel Nour added that Trump believes in changing the national jihadist Salafism that adheres to the principles of Islamic law and jihad within Syria, meaning it would not carry out terrorist operations outside Syria’s borders. The ideas of jihadist groups in Syria, such as “al-Nusra Front” and “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham,” have reportedly changed and evolved over time, in accordance with the societal classes they engage with.
For its part, the Jusoor for Studies Center noted that US steps toward normalizing relations with Syria have accelerated, especially after the meeting between President al-Sharaa and Trump in Riyadh.
Trump announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria from Riyadh, followed by the appointment of the American ambassador to Turkey, Thomas Barrack, as a special envoy to Syria. He began his mission by meeting President al-Sharaa in Istanbul, then toured Riyadh, Amman, and Damascus, where he raised the American flag over his residence in Syria in the presence of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani.
Subsequently, there was a meeting with President al-Sharaa in the People’s Palace, which included signing contracts for electricity generation stations for Qatari-Turkish-American companies valued at $7 billion, nearly fulfilling Syria’s total electrical energy needs.
These actions were accompanied by positive statements from the American president regarding the Syrian government, calling for non-interference in its affairs and granting it the opportunity to stabilize and grow again, while announcing the plan to remove Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, a designation it has held since 1979.
These steps close a chapter in the historically tense relations between the United States and Syria and open a new page that supports the new Syrian government following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, alongside respecting its sovereignty and preventing external interference in its internal affairs from any regional or international party, giving it a chance to settle its internal affairs among its components without favoring one party over another.
The Jusoor for Studies Center believes that with the fall of the Assad regime, all the conditions described by the American envoy are now favorable for Syria to be part of this project that achieves the region’s hopes for stability and growth. Iranian influence is at its lowest, and Arab-Turkish understandings are moving in a positive direction.
Furthermore, the new government has fundamentally severed Syria’s ties with Iran and openly announced its policy of entering the Arab-Western axis at the expense of abandoning the Iranian-Russian axis, in addition to the rise of Turkish-American relations following crises during the previous American President Biden’s term.
Washington hinders Israeli plans
The Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, published an article discussing President Trump’s recent speech given at the West Point military academy, which clearly reflects a withdrawal philosophy aimed at avoiding distant wars and delegating regional partners to bear responsibilities for security and stability.
The newspaper considered that Syria has become a practical model for this doctrine, as Trump lifted sanctions on the new Syrian government in exchange for yet-to-be-fulfilled commitments, while the United States seeks to apply a similar model in Lebanon, amid doubts regarding the effectiveness of this approach in addressing threats from entities like Hezbollah or Iran.
President Trump stated that Syria will eventually join the Abraham Accords, one of the main directions he discussed with the Syrian counterpart during their meeting, noting that the latter showed initial approval.
Trump linked Syria’s entry into the agreements to the stability of the situation in the country and the organization of its internal affairs, according to American media reports, including CNN.
Wael Alwan, a researcher at Jusoor for Studies Center, told Enab Baladi that there are issues to be discussed before Syria’s entry into the Abraham Accords.
Alwan explained that the most significant issues that need to be discussed include Israel’s withdrawal from the territories it has invaded and a complete cessation of its “aggressions,” as well as a re-evaluation or discussion about the cease-fire agreement.
Following these steps, Alwan expects the Syrian government to be part of the initiative led by Saudi Arabia concerning any relationship involving Israel.
For his part, Ayman Abdel Nour noted that Trump is calling for economic development in Syria, which cannot be achieved if Israel continues to bombard Syria and spread chaos, as this would drive away investors.
Abdel Nour added that Trump has directed Netanyahu to halt the escalation in Syria, and this has indeed reflected on the ground, as the intensity of Israeli bombings on Syria has significantly decreased, and military incursions into Syrian territory have been limited to some periodic Israeli movements in southern Syria for security enhancement.
Israel had intensified its bombing of Syria following the regime’s fall, which became almost daily, but the bombings suddenly stopped for a month, with the last Israeli bombing targeting al-Kiswah in the Damascus countryside on April 3.
After a month-long pause, Israel again targeted multiple locations within Syria on May 3, focusing primarily on the Harasta area in the Damascus countryside.
The Israeli bombings then ceased again until Tel Aviv targeted areas in Jableh and the Syrian coast on May 30, indicating that Trump succeeded in reducing Israeli escalation toward Syria.
Agencies such as Reuters and the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth have reported on meetings between Syrian officials and Israeli counterparts at a table sponsored by the UAE in the capital Abu Dhabi.
Trump shapes new Middle East through Syria Enab Baladi.
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