AI-Summary – News For Tomorrow
Syria’s new leader Sharaa, who led rebels to topple Assad, is lobbying the US to lift economic sanctions imposed during the civil war. His priority is repealing the Caesar Act, which sanctions Syria for human rights abuses. While Trump previously praised Sharaa and lifted some sanctions, the Caesar Act requires congressional approval for full removal. Sharaa emphasizes Syria’s rebuilding needs and potential, citing a $216 billion World Bank estimate. The US State Department acknowledged progress in meeting US demands under Sharaa’s leadership. However, Israel reportedly opposes lifting sanctions, viewing them as leverage in dealings with Damascus.
News summary provided by Gemini AI.
Sharaa, whose Islamist rebel forces toppled the longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, has courted the US president to try to reverse the economic restrictions imposed during the 13-year civil war, arguing they are no longer justified.
His media adviser, Ahmad Zeidan, told Saudi-owned broadcaster Al Arabiya the “foremost” issue on Sharaa’s agenda is a repeal of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 which imposed sweeping sanctions over human rights abuses by Assad’s regime during the conflict.
Trump met the Syrian leader for the first time last May in Riyadh on the sidelines of a Gulf Cooperation Council summit. Before the talks, he praised Sharaa to reporters as a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter”.
Trump then ordered most sanctions lifted in a big US policy shift. But the Caesar Act remains in place and will require a congressional vote to remove its particularly stringent sanctions permanently.
Sharaa, who as a militant leader had a $10m (£7.6m) US government bounty on his head, is the former leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the rebel group that led the military operation to topple Assad.
“We have a big mission to build the economy,” Sharaa said at a summit on the sidelines of that gathering. “Syria has a diverse workforce. They love to work, it’s in its genes. So don’t be worried, just lift the sanctions and you will see the results.”
In October, the World Bank put a “conservative best estimate” of the cost of rebuilding Syria at $216bn (£164bn).
Amid warming relations, the state department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Sharaa’s government had been meeting US demands including on working to find missing Americans and on eliminating any remaining chemical weapons.
“These actions are being taken in recognition of the progress demonstrated by the Syrian leadership after the departure of Bashar al-Assad and more than 50 years of repression under the Assad regime,” Pigott said.
Sharaa and his team have been at pains to present themselves as moderates ready to usher in a new era of peace and prosperity for the battle-scarred country after 13 years of civil war, and work constructively with regional powers.
However the Israeli government is said to oppose a full lifting of US sanctions, arguing it would cede key leverage in Washington’s dealings with Damascus.
Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report.
