New York: At a summit held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa expressed cautious optimism regarding security talks with Israel but voiced skepticism about the prospect of Syria joining the Abraham Accords. The accords, which facilitated the normalization of relations between Israel and three Arab nations, were met with doubt by Sharaa, who questioned Israel’s regional intentions.

According to France24.com, Sharaa, a former al Qaeda leader who led the forces that overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December, is visiting New York to deliver the first address by a Syrian leader to the General Assembly in decades. Syrian officials aim to finalize military and security agreements with Israel by the year’s end, amidst a backdrop of repeated military conflicts between the two nations since Assad’s fall.

During his address, Sharaa expressed concerns about trusting Israel, citing its history of peace agreement violations with Egypt and Jordan. He also highlighted the global outrage over the situation in Gaza, emphasizing its impact on Syria’s stance towards Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently indicated a potential new opportunity for peace with Syria and Lebanon following an Israeli military campaign against Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Sharaa met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for discussions, although details were not disclosed to the media.

In a separate meeting, Sharaa reiterated his call for the US to lift sanctions imposed under the 2019 Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act. Despite President Donald Trump’s decision to ease some sanctions on the advice of Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the underlying legislation remains in effect. Sharaa argued that these sanctions unjustly burden the Syrian populace, who have already endured significant hardship under previous regimes.

Sharaa also emphasized the need for economic development in Syria, appealing for the full removal of sanctions to facilitate growth. In a conversation with retired General David Petraeus, Sharaa assured that Syria’s diverse and industrious workforce is eager to rebuild the nation’s economy, urging international support in lifting the economic restrictions.