President Trump, who quickly exceeds contracts from the US government’s policy that dealt with Syria as a gun, held an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday with its president, Ahmed Al -Shar, the former leader of a rebel group dedicated to Terrorist organization By the American government.
The meeting, which was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, based on the urges of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a day after Mr. Trump announced that he was Lifting comprehensive sanctions against SyriaAnd that Washington began imposing in 1979.
Mr. Trump, who was known for the evaluation of people according to how they appeared, suggested that Mr. Al -Sharra, a rugged character and has a thick black beard that brought down the brutal lion’s family in December, had left a favorable impression.
“A young and attractive”, described by Mr. Trump to the media. “A strong man. The past is strong. The past is very strong. Fighter.
“He got a real snapshot in collecting together,” said Mr. Trump from Syria. “It is a torn country.”
The last meeting between the leaders of the two countries It happened 25 years ago.
Mr. Trump He spoke while flying to QatarThe second station on its four -day tour, from three countries in the Middle East, which will take it alongside the United Arab Emirates. The Qataris, like the Saudis, received Mr. Trump with Abha, including the honor guard who was installed on camels for his presidential vehicles.
A lot of journey focuses on commercial deals, including Selling 142 billion dollars of weapons to Saudi Arabia And an agreement to sell 160 Boeing passengers to Qatar. The White House said on Tuesday that the president got $ 600 billion in deals with the Saudi government and companies. But the details were mysterious, and some deals were announced as already new.
Even when Mr. Trump has distributed deals, many issues – ease of violence in the Middle East, including the war in Gaza; Unstable situation in Syria; A possible deal with Iran on the nuclear weapons development program – lies in the background.
The lifting of sanctions will be Syria’s lifestyle. Nearly 14 years of civil war, the country is physically and economically destroyed, and imposed harsh sanctions away from the former president, Bashar al -Assad, a violent campaign against a democratic uprising in 2011. This led to a civil war that killed more than 600,000 people and explained about 13 million people, according to unified nations estimates. Penalties have prevented most aid, including those necessary for reconstruction.
“The sanctions were really paralyzing,” Mr. Trump said in statements to Arab Gulf leaders who gathered to meet him on Wednesday. He said he was working to normalize relations with Syria, adding: “I feel strongly that this will give them a chance.”
Each of Prince Muhammad and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from Türkiye, who supported the rebellion that brought Mr. Sharra to power, urged Mr. Trump to lift the sanctions. Mr. Erdogan, who joined the meeting for 30 minutes with the Syrian leader over the phone, and the Saudi crown, who personally attended, praised the decision. Prince Muhammad called it a “brave”, according to a summary of the White House.
Mr. Trump told Mr. Al -Shara that he “has a huge opportunity to do something historical in his country,” according to the summary, which was issued by the White House press secretary. He also urged President Al -Sharra to take steps to normalize Syria’s relations with Israel, which was long ago hostileThe summary said that “all foreign terrorists” to leave the country.
In his leadership, the Saudi capital, the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, said in a press conference later on Wednesday, that “many opportunities, abilities and resources” was “one of the most important points of discussion” at the meeting. He said: “It has resources, and most importantly, it has people who are able: the educated population and knowledge who are eager to transfer Syria to a new stage.”
The US mechanism to lift sanctions on Syria was not immediately clear, some of which were imposed by Congress. However, this was a noticeable shift for Mr. Trump, who only spoiled Syria during his first term as president.
He also expressed deep doubts regarding the old publication of the American forces in the country. US officials said that there is a unit of about 2000 American soldiers that were placed in northeastern Syria, especially to prevent the resurrection of the Islamic State, which will be reduced to about 1400.
The meeting was also a pivotal turning point for Mr. Al -Shar, who has long had a $ 10 million bonus on his head. For years, reservations were also reserved in Iraq. After his release, he returned to Syria in 2011 to establish a branch of the Islamic State, then his group allied with al -Qaeda but broke it in 2016.
In the years after that, Mr. Al -Sharra was Focus on the northwest administrationAnd from which the fighters fighters squad launched the attack in December, which brought down the Syrian government. The United States dropped its reward for Mr. Sharra in December, but it is still listed in the list of terrorists appointed to its previous affiliation with al -Qaeda.
In Syria, there was Scenes of joy In the streets in news that the penalties will be lifted. Many people have expressed optimism that at least some of their economic problems will be addressed. But many Syrians were also concerned that their country may be separated after a modern increase in sectarian violence.
On a wider scale across the Middle East, violence and conflict continued even as Mr. Trump toured the region. Palestinian health officials said on Wednesday that the Israeli air strikes in the northern Gaza Strip killed dozens of Palestinians. The Israeli army did not immediately respond to the request for comment. But an Israeli military spokesperson threatened to bomb a part of northern Gaza after gunmen fired rockets in Israel.
Israel, the main ally of the United States in the region, was not included on Mr. Trump’s journey, center Reports on increasing differences With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on American attempts to negotiate the ceasefire in the Gaza war with Hamas. But Mr. Trump told the correspondents that he was not trying to marginalize Israel.
“This is a good thing for Israel, and it has a relationship of such countries and the countries of the Middle East, all of them,” said Mr. Trump.
In his remarks to Arab leaders, Mr. Trump broke Iran because of criticism, but he also indicated that he wanted to make a deal with Tehran in its advanced nuclear program. He also indicated earlier that he did not enjoy the presence of permanent enemies.
This is certainly true in Qatar, which Mr. Trump accused during his first presidency of supporting terrorism. But when it landed in Doha, the Qatari capital was exchanged.
“We are very enthusiastic,” the leader of Qatar, Sheikh Tarim bin Hamad Al Thani, received Mr. Trump during the red carpet ceremony in the main offices of the government. “I know you want to bring peace to this region.”
The President praised the prince’s work to mediate wars in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine.
Shortly after its arrival, Qatar Airways, which used Doha as a axis connecting long flights to Africa and Asia to Europe and the Americas, signed an agreement with 160 Boeing aircraft.
The American or Qatari leader publicly did not mention $ 400 million in Boeing 747, which Qatar offered to Mr. Trump as an alternative to Air Force One. Mr. Trump said he would be “foolish” for not taking it, but the show has sparked widespread criticism in the United States, even from some of Trump’s strong supporters.
When Mr. Trump Limousine rolled towards the Royal Court in Qatar, the men’s cavalry lined up in Camelback. Mr. Trump later said: “We appreciate that beauty.” “We haven’t seen beauty like this long ago.”
Reports previously contributed For forgetand Vivian Nermeand Aaron Bokmanand Ben Hopard and Euan Wing.
