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US President Donald Trump on Monday urged Israel to maintain dialogue with Syria's new government and avoid actions that could derail the country's post-Assad transition, as Washington expressed satisfaction with Damascus's early progress under new leadership.
The appeal came hours after Trump's special envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, held talks in Damascus with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, signaling intensified US diplomatic engagement following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government late last year.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said it was "very important that Israel maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria, and that nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria's evolution into a prosperous state." The president praised al-Sharaa for working to ensure "good things happen" for both countries, calling the moment a "historic opportunity" for Middle East peace.
The statement came as Trump's latest direct public intervention in Syria-Israel relations since al-Sharaa's administration took power in January following Assad's December flight to Russia, which ended nearly 25 years of his rule and six decades of Baath Party control.
Trump credited his decision to lift sanctions as crucial to Syria's political transition, saying the move had been "truly appreciated by Syria, its leadership, and its people." Washington has already removed several senior Syrian officials from UN and US terror-related sanctions lists as part of broader efforts to support the new government.
However, the most significant sanctions package, namely the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, remains in place and requires congressional action for permanent removal. The administration waived those penalties for 180 days in November, a temporary measure that can be renewed.
"We are doing everything within our power to make sure the government of Syria continues to do what was intended, which is substantial, in order to build a true and prosperous country," Trump wrote, describing Washington as "very satisfied" with results achieved through "hard work and determination."
Trump's warning comes against a backdrop of extensive Israeli military activity inside Syria since Assad's ouster. Syrian authorities have documented more than 1,000 Israeli airstrikes and over 400 cross-border ground operations since December, according to the source material. Israel has also expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone established under a 1974 disengagement agreement.
Al-Sharaa has stated that permanent peace with Israel depends on withdrawal to borders that existed before December 8, when Assad's government collapsed. The Syrian president traveled to Washington in November as his government seeks expanded cooperation with regional and international partners following more than a decade of civil war.
Monday's meeting between Barrack and al-Sharaa, attended by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, addressed "the latest regional developments and issues of mutual concern," according to a Syrian presidency statement. Officials released no details about specific discussions, though the talks occurred amid renewed diplomatic activity focused on Syria's future and broader regional stability.
The transition in Damascus has created new opportunities for reshaping Middle East alliances after years of frozen relations during the Assad era. Trump characterized the current moment as contributing to "success, already attained, for peace in the Middle East," suggesting the administration views Syria's leadership change as compatible with its broader regional objectives.
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