Cold peace or hot mess? Israel, Syria and the risk of normalization

On his recent Middle East tour, U.S. President Donald Trump yet again broke from decades of established policy and announced he would end sanctions against Syria. Going further still, he shook hands with Syria's new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former Jihadist who until recently had a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head. The closest Trump came to acknowledging al-Sharaa's background, though, was to describe Syria's enigmatic leader as "a young, attractive guy" with a "strong past."

Unlimited news and analysis from Israel and the Gaza war

Already signed up? Log inOrRegister to get up to 6 articles per month

Already signed up? Log in

Cold peace or hot mess? Israel, Syria and the risk of normalization | Opinion

Related reading

Analysis: After meeting Trump, Syria’s new leader must prove his willingness,…

Trump Defied Israel — But Don't Get Too Excited

Israel’s objectives and Syria’s new calculations

Trump, Al-Sharaa and the future of Syria

Trump hails Syria's president a 'strong leader' after historic closed-door…

Syrian president to hold talks with Trump at White House