Syria’s New President Signals Interest in Abraham Accords

New Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa tells US congressman he seeks to normalize ties with Israel “under the right conditions” in potential diplomatic breakthrough

April 26, 2025

Syria’s new President Ahmed al-Sharaa has expressed interest in normalizing relations with Israel and potentially joining the Abraham Accords, according to US Congressman Cory Mills who met with the Syrian leader last week.

In a significant diplomatic development, Mills told Bloomberg on Thursday that Sharaa indicated Damascus is willing to establish formal ties with Israel “under the right conditions” and could join the normalization agreements that former President Donald Trump negotiated between Israel and several Arab nations during his previous administration.

Conditions for Peace and Sanctions Relief

The meeting between Mills and Sharaa, which lasted approximately 90 minutes, covered conditions for removing US-imposed economic sanctions as well as the possibility of peace with Israel. Sharaa reportedly expressed openness to addressing the presence of foreign fighters still operating in Syria and offering guarantees to Israel, which remains deeply skeptical of Syria’s new leadership.

“I am cautiously optimistic and look to maintain open dialogue,” Mills told Bloomberg after the meeting.

Mills, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees, visited Damascus alongside Congressman Marlin Stutzman. Their trip marks the first visit by American lawmakers to Syria since Bashar al-Assad was ousted from power by an Islamist-led rebel offensive in December.

Trump’s Expanding Abraham Accords

The potential addition of Syria to the Abraham Accords would represent a major expansion of the normalization agreements, which currently include the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. President Trump has repeatedly stated his intention to bring more countries into the diplomatic framework.

“We are going to be filling it up very rapidly… A lot of countries want to come into the Abraham Accords,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday.

Mills indicated he will deliver a letter from Sharaa to Trump and brief the president and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz following his trip.

Israeli Skepticism Amid Military Operations

Israel has expressed significant distrust toward Sharaa, whose faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham emerged from a group previously affiliated with al-Qaeda until 2016. Israel currently maintains troops in a buffer zone in southern Syria and continues to conduct airstrikes against military targets in the country.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar recently criticized Syria’s new leadership, saying, “They were jihadists and remain jihadists, even if some of their leaders have donned suits.”

Despite this tension, Carmit Valensi, senior researcher on Syria at the Tel Aviv-based Institute for National Security Studies, noted that Sharaa has adopted a “restrained and cautious policy” toward Israel since taking power.

“Despite the IDF’s presence in Syrian territory, despite the intense airstrikes and Israel’s demand to demilitarize southern Syria, [Syrian leaders] have not tried to act against or challenge Israel—in fact, they’ve generally maintained moderate rhetoric toward it,” Valensi told The Times of Israel.

Economic Incentives and Regional Context

Syria’s economy has been devastated by more than a decade of civil war, providing strong incentives for the new government to seek sanctions relief. Last month, the US provided Syria with a list of conditions for partial sanctions relief, including removing foreign fighters from leadership roles and destroying any remaining chemical weapons.

Congressman Stutzman emphasized the strategic importance of engaging with Syria: “I don’t want Syria pushed into the arms of China, or back into the arms of Russia and Iran.”

In a sign that Sharaa may be taking concrete steps beyond rhetoric, Palestinian media reported Tuesday that the new Syrian regime arrested two leaders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror organization, though Syrian authorities have not officially confirmed these arrests.

The potential normalization comes as Saudi Arabia has also shown increasing willingness to engage with Syria’s new leadership, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meeting with Sharaa in February.

As Valensi observed regarding Syria’s path to normalization with Israel: “I think it will be easier for [Syria] to move if there’s also progress with Saudi Arabia, so the move would be perceived as part of a regional trend.”

What’s Next?

The specific conditions Syria would require for joining the Abraham Accords remain unclear. According to Valensi, these could range from “a minimal demand for troop withdrawal and a halt to attacks, to more strategic demands regarding the future of the Golan Heights.”

As diplomatic efforts continue, the coming months will reveal whether this initial expression of interest can translate into meaningful progress toward formal ties between Syria and Israel—a development that would significantly reshape the Middle East’s diplomatic landscape.

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