General Discussion

Trump also announced he would lift sanctions on Syria. The rolling back of those sanctions caused some confusion for Israel, which has attacked Syria hundreds of times since the fall of its former dictator, Bashar al-Assad.

Thomas Friedman, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The New York Times who has long written about the Middle East, told Morning Edition he sees "creative possibilities" from Trump's approach to the Middle East so far, particularly when it comes to Syria.

Friedman said Sharaa has made some "incredibly positive moves towards Israel, and is under pressure from a very pluralistic front within Syria, Christians, Muslims and others to make a pluralistic Syria."

"Why don't we at least give him a chance? Give him a reputation to live up to. So I think the president made a very good move there and I support it and I hope the Israelis pick up on it," Friedman continued.

https://www.npr.org/2025/05/15/nx-s1-5398014/trump-middle-east-saudi-arabia-syria-israel