Shara makes it clear to Trump which way Syria’s relations with Israel will go

After meeting US President Donald Trump for the first time in Washington DC, Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara has made it clear that Syria will not sit down for talks on normalizing relations with Israel right now.

In an interview with Fox News on Monday (November 10), local time, Shara said, "There are no direct talks at this time. Maybe the path for such talks can be paved through the US and President Trump," the Times of Israel reported.

The Trump administration is already trying to mediate in the normalization of Israel-Syria relations. Trump said after the meeting that his government is working to improve relations between the two countries and called Shara a big supporter of peace in the Middle East.

Shara, 43, came to power after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad last year. He is now known as an ally of the US due to his identity as a rebel leader. The US recently lifted terrorism-related sanctions on him.

Washington now sees Syria as a potential investment destination in the energy sector. Although there was no traditional state reception upon entering the White House, the visit is seen as a major step in Syria's diplomatic comeback from its long international isolation. "Syria is no longer seen as a security threat, but as a geopolitical ally," Shara said.