Israel Rethinks Syria Policy after Trump, Al-Sharaa Meeting

Friday, 16 May 2025 | After a handshake between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and US President Donald Trump, Israel is shifting its stance toward the new Syrian regime, softening its tone toward Damascus. 

Initially, Israel treated the new regime with suspicion, accusing al-Sharaa of massacring Alawites and Druze and even carrying out a strike near the presidential palace. But last week, amid reports of a backchannel between the two sides, IDF Operations Directorate head Maj. Gen. Oded Basyuk met with senior al-Sharaa officials in Baku, Azerbaijan. 

The meeting included members of Israel’s National Security Council and was part of broader talks with Turkey regarding Syria. A prior meeting with Turkish officials involved even higher-level participants, including Israeli National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi. 

Turkey, under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has grown increasingly close to al-Sharaa’s government and Turkey’s national intelligence agency (MIT) maintains strong ties in Damascus. 

Sources familiar with the matter say that, following al-Sharaa’s rise to power, there was widespread uncertainty in the international community—including in Israel—about the nature of his regime. 

But since then, Western governments have opened contact and are attempting to influence his administration. In addition to meeting with Trump, al-Sharaa visited Paris days ago and now ties with Israel are also forming. 

Al-Sharaa recently secured the lifting of US sanctions on Syria. Despite initial reservations, Israeli officials view Trump’s decision positively, seeing it as a potential move to distance Syria from Iran—and perhaps, down the line, as a step toward including Syria in the Abraham Accords once the country stabilizes. 

Israel’s interests in Syria include protecting the Druze population and maintaining a demilitarized buffer zone south of Damascus. Officials believe that a stable Syria is in Israel’s security interest and that improved relations with the new regime could eventually allow a withdrawal from positions seized following the fall of Bashar Assad’s government. 

According to officials, Israel didn’t strongly oppose the lifting of sanctions against al-Sharaa but took a “necessary cautious approach” following Assad’s fall in December. “It took the U.S. six months to assess its options and reach a reasonable decision—one that Israel didn’t act against,” one source said.

Israel has previously maintained contact with rebel factions during Syria’s civil war, some of which had ties to al-Sharaa. Throughout the conflict, Israel treated thousands of wounded rebels in its hospitals. 

Meanwhile, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani wrote on X: “I thank Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for today’s productive and constructive meeting. 

“We laid critical foundations for building advanced strategic ties with the U.S., serving our people’s interests and strengthening our regional and international presence. The Syrian people look forward to a bright future and we’re working with full force to open new horizons of security, stability and prosperity.”