Israel doubts Syria breakthrough as Sharaa signals openness to Abraham Accords
Syria's new leader seems open to joining the Abraham Accords under 'certain conditions,' but Israelis remain skeptical about his true intentions and an emerging alliance with Turkey.
TEL AVIV — While enjoying the new winds blowing from Syria and Lebanon, Israel does not envision, at least for the moment, any practical steps toward normalization with them.
Last Saturday in Damascus, Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa told visiting US congressional representatives Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.) and Cory Mills (R-Fla.) that under the right conditions he would be open to joining the 2020 Abraham Accords, the agreement normalizing Israel relations with Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates.
"I said," Stutzman told Al-Monitor, "'The Abraham Accords — is that something you would be open to?' And he said, ‘Absolutely, but under certain conditions.’”
A senior Israeli political source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, "There is no doubt that what is being heard at the moment from both the Syrian and Lebanese directions is unprecedented. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has started resembling President Hafez Assad Sr., who conducted lengthy peace negotiations with four Israeli prime ministers over the years.”
