Syria Likely To Normalize Ties with Israel Before Lebanon, Says Syrian Expat
Jerusalem — A Syrian expatriate has told Israeli media that she firmly believes Syria may become the next Arab state to join the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, potentially ahead of its long-time neighbor and rival, Lebanon.
Speaking to ILTV News this week, Rawan Osman, a prominent Syrian dissident and commentator, said she has consistently maintained her stance in Israeli media: “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—Syria will be next to normalize ties with Israel, even before Lebanon.”
Osman, who has been vocal in her opposition to the previous Assad regime, explained her reasoning by citing the speed with which anti-Assad forces dismantled the stronghold of the Ba’athist regime. “I saw how swiftly the rebels and jihadists overthrew [former President Bashar] al-Assad. That shift is irreversible,” she stated.
When asked about the credibility of the current Syrian leadership, Osman did not mince words. She expressed skepticism toward Ahmed al-Sharaa, the transitional leader and former jihadist reportedly linked to Al-Qaeda. “I do not trust Ahmed al-Sharaa,” she said. “He was part of Al-Qaeda, and many of his closest allies come from jihadist backgrounds.”
However, Osman emphasized the realpolitik of the current scenario: “At the moment, they are the best we have.”
Her remarks come amid growing speculation that more Arab states, particularly those grappling with post-conflict reconstruction, may seek normalization with Israel as a path to regional integration and economic recovery.
While critics view such diplomatic overtures as premature given Syria’s fractured political landscape, others argue that normalization might offer a lifeline to a country battered by years of war, isolation, and economic ruin.
The Abraham Accords, originally signed in 2020 between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain—and later joined by Morocco and Sudan—marked a seismic shift in regional diplomacy. Should Syria join, it would mark a historic turnabout from decades of hostility and enmity.
Despite deep-seated skepticism from the Syrian diaspora and within Israel’s security establishment, voices like Osman’s are gaining traction in policy circles exploring post-war Syrian rehabilitation.
With Syria’s future still uncertain and power centers in flux, the mere discussion of potential normalization reflects broader changes underway across the Middle East—where former enemies may soon find themselves on speaking terms in a rapidly evolving geopolitical arena.
