This week’s visit by Syrian President Ahmed al‑Sharaa to the White House marked a turning point for the region and could reshape Syria’s relations with Israel, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said on Thursday.

Barrack said discussions between U.S., Syrian and Turkish officials included “redefining Turkish-Syrian-Israeli relations, and advancing the alignment that underpins the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, as well as various Lebanese border issues.”

He described the talks as part of a broader effort to bring Syria from “a source of terrorism to a counterterrorism partner,” pledging Damascus would help confront and dismantle “the remnants of ISIS, the IRGC, Hamas, Hizballah, and other terrorist networks.”

President Donald Trump hosted al-Sharaa at the White House on Monday for the first visit by a Syrian president to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

In an interview with The Washington Post published Tuesday, the Syrian leader said that Jerusalem needs to withdraw its forces in Syria to the positions they held before the Assad regime fell on Dec. 8, 2024, for a security agreement with Damascus to cross the finish line.

While the Damascus-Jerusalem security pact remains on hold, Syria agreed to join the U.S.-led coalition to combat ISIS following al-Sharaa’s White House visit, but without any “military components.”

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