Tom Barrack: Ahmed al Sharaa may face internal resistance if it decides to join the Abraham Accords
Tom Barrack, US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, revealed that serious talks are taking place between Syria and Israel, mediated by the US, aimed at calming tensions on their shared border.
Barrack said in an interview with the New York Times that the US administration hopes for Syria to join the Abraham Accords, which established diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab countries during Trump’s first term.
Barrack, who served as the US ambassador to Türkiye and special envoy to Syria, explained that this goal may take time, given the possibility of internal resistance by some Syrian forces against the new president, Ahmed al Sharaa.
He said, “The Syrian people shouldn’t feel that their accession to the agreements is being forced; it should be gradual”.
Despite ongoing tensions between the new Syrian government and Israel, particularly with repeated Israeli military incursions into southern Syria, the talks are focused on de-escalation and opening the way for improved relations.
According to the New York Times, Trump has enlisted his old friend Tom Barrack to help implement his vision for the Middle East, which is based on reducing conflict and stimulating economic development.
Barrack who is decadent from Lebanese origin, believes that the current US administration’s strategy represents a shift from previous policies that focused on “nation-building” and regime change.
He said, “We’re not demanding immediate, comprehensive democracy in Syria, but rather focusing on realistic, implementable steps”.
According to the New York Times, Washington seeks to support Syria and Lebanon in their efforts to emerge from the consequences of war by mobilizing regional support from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Türkiye.
Barrack has focused his efforts on Syria, which is trying to rebuild itself after years of civil war, benefiting from international and regional support conditional on political and security reforms.
Barrack noted that the executive order recently signed by Trump to end decades-long sanctions on Syria doesn’t impose strict demands, but rather sets goals for Washington to monitor progress.
These goals include a peace settlement with Israel, the integration of US-backed Kurdish militias in northeastern Syria, and revealing the fate of Americans missing during the war.
Regarding Lebanon, Barrack considered that the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah last November didn’t achieve the desired results, pointing to the continued Israeli raids and the party’s violations of the agreement.
He said that disarming Hezbollah requires a combination of “carrots and sticks,” speaking of a plan to search homes for weapons under the supervision of the Lebanese army.
He added that the bill proposed by Senator John Kerry and sponsored by Marco Rubio proposes a clear timeline for disarming the party and reforming the Lebanese economy.
Barrack stressed the importance of securing financial support from Saudi Arabia and Qatar to rebuild southern Lebanon and calm the concerns of Shiite communities, which consider Hezbollah a pillar of the resistance.
