Barak: We may reach normalization between Syria and Israel before Lebanon.
Barak: We may reach normalization between Syria and Israel before Lebanon.
2026-04-17
Shafaq News – Washington
US envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, confirmed on Friday that international efforts to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will proceed in gradual stages, stressing the need to review the failures of the 2024 agreement to avoid repeating them.
During a dialogue session on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, Barak said that “the current Lebanese leadership, represented by President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, is among the best to have managed the country,” while stressing the need to “open a channel of communication with Hezbollah within the existing political efforts.”
He noted that “US President Donald Trump and his Secretary of State Marco Rubio have been pressuring Israel to push for a ceasefire with Lebanon.”
Barak also revealed a move to resume talks between Syria and Israel, with the possibility of reaching a normalization agreement between the two sides, perhaps before reaching a similar agreement with Lebanon.
He continued, saying that “Syria dealt intelligently with the regional escalation following the attacks of October 7, 2023,” noting that “Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa stressed the unwillingness to engage in a war with Israel and not to launch any missiles from Syrian territory.”
The US envoy called for “finding alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the security of global energy supplies,” stressing that “Washington seeks to reach a comprehensive agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which also includes the issue of disarming Hezbollah.”
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