President Trump bucked critics in his administration and security hawks in Israel in his decision to lift sanctions on Syria and embrace its new leader, a U.S.-designated terrorist who formerly had ties with al Qaeda and the Islamic State group (ISIS).

Trump’s decision is a hard-won victory for humanitarian advocates, supportive American lawmakers and Gulf and Arab leaders who view the new government in Damascus as a historic opportunity to reshape the Middle East, following the ousting of Syria’s dictator Bashar Assad in December.

“There are different centers of power and figures within the [Trump] administration today and the White House who are very strongly against this idea," said Ibrahim Al-Assil, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute.

"But also the region, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other figures in the administration are pushing more towards an opening with the government in Damascus,” he added. Speaking during a panel discussion on Tuesday, Al-Assil reacted in real time to Trump’s lifting of sanctions as rare good news for a region often referred to for its conflict and heartbreak.

“They want to shape the moment, and I think that's smart and important, and to make sure that the United States doesn't miss this opportunity of having Syria that's oriented more towards the West and on a trajectory for peace, stability and economic growth.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has carried out a bombing campaign in Syria since Assad's ousting. While the strikes initially focused on destroying Assad's weapon storage facilities, the new government in Damascus has criticized the ongoing campaign as a dangerous escalation. On May 2, Israeli forces struck near the Syrian presidential palace.

Netanyahu has pushed for keeping Syria weak and decentralized.

But the president favored arguments from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and allies including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that engaging with Syria’s........

© The Hill