US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, who is also the special envoy for Syria, traveled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday. He has played a key role in developing US-Syria ties following US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in May.
Barrack moved quickly to work on ties with Damascus and make inroads so that Syria could emerge from sanctions and other issues that had been the norm when the Assad regime was in charge.
Saudi Arabia is among the Middle East countries that Barrack is visiting because they have an interest in Syria.
Riyadh played a key role in arranging Sharaa’s meeting with Trump. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also pushed for the US to engage with Damascus.
“From US President Donald Trump and [Saudi Arabian] Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s historic meeting with President Sharaa in May, transformative steps have taken place in Syria,” Barrack wrote on X/Twitter. “On behalf of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, I had productive meetings at the Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry with Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, which were focused on the advancement of those steps that will benefit the Syrian people, Syrian economy, and the entire region.”
The Saudi meeting comes amid reports that Israel-Syria ties may be warming.
When Sharaa came to power after the fall of Assad last December, there were many Israeli officials who were critical of Sharaa and accused him of being a “jihadist.” Israel also threatened him and carried out numerous airstrikes against Syria.
When Trump met with Sharaa, however, it became clear that Israel’s aggressive policy might not be helpful. Israeli officials had called for southern Syria to be demilitarized. This led to a security vacuum near the border, however, and resulted in clashes that did not benefit Israel.
Potential Israel-Syria ties
Over the past month, things have changed. Last month, Reuters reported about contacts between Jerusalem and Damascus. According to more recent reports, it now seems the potential for better Israel-Syria ties is growing.
National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi reportedly said there are now almost daily contacts between the countries.
“There is direct daily dialogue at all levels between Israel and the regime in Syria,” Israel Hayom quoted him as saying. “I am leading it with political officials there.”
Regional media outlets have also reported this.
“Israeli National Security Council chief Tzachi Hanegbi is personally overseeing direct political and security coordination efforts between Israel and Syria,” Kurdistan24 in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Region reported.
These reports emerged after the Israel-Iran conflict. They also come as US envoy Steve Witkoff has hinted at more normalization deals with Israel and more countries possibly joining the Abraham Accords.
Those countries may not all be Arab, but this has led to more speculation about Syria.
It is not clear yet how this will play out. Nevertheless, Barrack’s trip to Saudi Arabia and the increasing role that countries in the region are playing in helping stabilize Syria mean that much is at stake.
Damascus can be an anchor for regional stability. With Iran’s militias gone from Syria and the country blocking access to Hezbollah by sitting astride the Iranian influence corridor in Iraq, Damascus plays a vital role in securing the region.
Turkey is also a key friend of the new government in Syria. Erdogan met with Trump on the sidelines of the recent NATO summit.
Ankara still wants to acquire US F-35s, according to reports, and that would be an important development. Turkey likely also wants stronger defense ties with Syria.
Israel has been wary of seeing Ankara spread its influence too far in Syria. As such, Jerusalem likely prefers Saudi influence in Damascus.
With all these balls in motion after the weakening of Iran, it is possible that Syria may play a growing role in what comes next.