Trump administration in contact with Syria’s new leadership, country’s Foreign Minister tells Davos

Asaad Al Shibani declined to say what had been discussed with the US President's team

Syrian Foreign Minister Hassan Al Shibani attends the 55th annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. Reuters

US President Donald Trump’s administration has been in touch with Syria’s new leadership, the country’s Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani has said.

Mr Al Shibani confirmed at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday that Mr Trump’s team had made contact, but refused to say what had been discussed.

“[Syria is] an important actor in the region, and who want to perceive the stability and security in the region, they should talk with Damascus,” he said, giving Syria’s chances for peace the rating of “10 out of 10”.

The Hayat Tahrir Al Sham rebel group, which ousted the Bashar Al Assad government in December, remains on US and international terrorist lists and under sanctions. Mr Al Shibani appealed for the lifting of those sanctions, which he said were imposed on the Assad regime for the torture of prisoners and other crimes but were now harming Syrians while they try to rebuild their country following 14 years of civil war.

“Removing the sanctions is key to our vision for development and the new path for Syria,” said Mr Al Shibani.

‘Enough is enough’: Palestinian Authority’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs’ message to Trump

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The session, on the future of peace in the Middle East, also heard from Varsen Aghabekian, Palestinian Authority’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, who said the situation in Gaza remained “unpredictable”.

“It can go either way, but we hope, as Palestinians and for saving lives, that this ceasefire becomes a permanent position that would lead us to something bigger,” Ms Aghabekian said.

The hope is that the ceasefire becomes permanent and leads “to something bigger”, she said. Mr Trump is a “key player” she added.

“The USA can do a lot, and we've seen it in the last week. But President Trump and the team in the United States need to again understand what it means to have Palestinians have a palatable peace process. A palatable peace process means understanding the rights of the Palestinians.”

Addressing Israeli raids in the Jenin refugee camp in occupied West Bank in an operation that began on Tuesday and included air strikes, she said it was “very unfortunate”.

People inspect the rubble of a house where two Palestinian militants were killed during an Israeli raid in Burqin village near Jenin. AFP

“It's a deliberate attempt by Israel to undermine the Palestinians in general. And we're hearing it. They don't shy away from voicing it,” she said.

“They're telling us very clearly we're done with Gaza for the time being. We don't know for how long, because they are also voicing that they are going back into Gaza, but now it's a time on the West Bank, and we will do on the West Bank what we have done on the Gaza Strip.”

Speaking to The National following the session, she said the situation in the West Bank was “extremely dangerous”.

“Today we have unleashed settlers creating havoc all over the West Bank and I think people need to look at this very seriously because if we transfer what is happening in Gaza to the West Bank I think this leads to total chaos and not only total chaos for the Palestinians, but total chaos for the whole area.”

Asked what she wanted Mr Trump to say to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the West Bank, she said he should put his foot down and say “enough is enough”.

“We need to cater to the needs of humanity and morality and if you want to live in peace and security in the area, you need to respect international law and respect the rights of your neighbours. And you cannot wage war on your neighbours whenever you want,” she said.

The situation is different following the Israel-Gaza war and the world cannot return to Jared Kushner’s peace plan Mr Trump has returned to the White House, she told Davos.

“What was there on the table in 2017 and 2018 will not bring us peace, not for the Palestinians, not for the Israelis, not for the region.”