Trump met Al-Sharaa disregarding Netanyahu's opposition, and removed sanctions on Syria.
United States President Donald Trump met with Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh earlier this week, a meeting that was not preemptively disclosed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to reports, this omission added to existing tensions between Washington and Tel Aviv, as Netanyahu had previously asked Trump not to lift US sanctions on Syria.
On Monday, Netanyahu traveled to Washington for discussions with Trump, where he is likely to have anxiously sought relief from US tariffs while seeking further backing on Iran and Gaza. In a significant shift of US policy towards Syria, and despite Netanyahu's concerns, Trump declared the official removal of US sanctions on Syria following his Riyadh meeting with Al-Sharaa.
The absence of prior notification about the Trump-Al-Sharaa meeting strained the already tense relations between the White House and Tel Aviv. As Trump's Middle East strategy strays from traditional Israeli expectations, the omission of previous notification intensified the already existing tensions.
In light of the forthcoming disagreements with the White House, Netanyahu's team is planning to exert pressure on the US President by rallying support from Trump's core Republican base, particularly Christian conservatives who have traditionally supported Israel. The team's strategy involves managing media strategy and public messaging rather than focusing on diplomacy or security.
These new developments come as Netanyahu is gearing up for a political clash with Trump over recent events. Trump's recent trip to Saudi Arabia included a meeting with Al-Sharaa, during which he expressed his intention to "give the Syrian people a chance to grow and develop" by easing sanctions. This decision was made in consultation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The US Treasury Department has since affirmed that it is working with the National Security Council and State Department to carry out the instruction to lift the sanctions that were initially implemented due to human rights violations committed by former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. This policy reversal between the US and Syria represents a potential new era in US-Syria relations.
References:[1] Axios. (2025). Axios reports Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unsuccessfully lobbied to keep sanctions on Syria. https://www.axios.com/netanyahu-us-syria-sanctions-irl-b69f728f-df1f-46d7-b6b2-ff3d47d1cf61.html[2] Al Bawaba. (2025). Netanyahu faces political showdown with Trump over recent events. https://www.albawaba.com/news/netanyahu-faces-political-showdown-trump-over-recent-events-1296893[3] Al Bawaba. (2025). Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed concerns about US lifting sanctions on Syria. https://www.albawaba.com/opinion/osama-ali-israeli-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-expressed-concerns-about-us-lifting-1296751[4] Israel Hayom. (2025). Netanyahu prepares for showdown with Trump over US policy shifts. https://www.israhayom.co.il/en/news/article/441235
- Amid growing tensions between Washington and Tel Aviv, Netanyahu's team is planning to exert pressure on President Trump by rallying support from Trump's core Republican base, specifically Christian conservatives who have traditionally supported Israel.
- In the context of the forthcoming disagreements with the White House, Netanyahu is gearing up for a political clash with Trump over recent events, such as Trump's expressed intention to "give the Syrian people a chance to grow and develop" by easing sanctions.
- The US Treasury Department is working with the National Security Council and State Department to carry out the instruction to lift the sanctions on Syria, a policy reversal that represents a potential new era in US-Syria relations.
- The absence of prior notification about the Trump-Al-Sharaa meeting and the subsequent omission of previous notification intensified the already existing tensions between the White House and Tel Aviv, as this shift in US policy towards Syria strays from traditional Israeli expectations.
