U.S. Official: Opportunities for Normalization Between Israel, Syria, and Lebanon Are Possible
March 22, 2025, 12:44 pm

U.S. Official: Opportunities for Normalization Between Israel, Syria, and Lebanon Are Possible

ستيفن ويتكوف

Stephen Wittykov, the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, stated that normalizing relations between Israel and Syria and Lebanon has become a real possibility, especially after Syria has lost a significant amount of Iranian influence.

Wittykov's comments came in a lengthy interview with journalist Tucker Carlson, where he discussed the Trump administration's vision for the future of the region, focusing on the Syrian issue and Israel’s role in the geopolitical changes taking place on the Middle Eastern map.

He explained that “Lebanon may find itself in a position to normalize relations with Israel by signing a peace treaty between the two countries, and this is indeed possible.” He added that the same applies to Syria, pointing out that normalization between Lebanon and Israel, and subsequently between Syria and Israel, “could be part of a broader process to establish peace in the region.”

Regarding the final map that Israel seeks to draw in the Middle East, Wittykov noted that Israel holds field influence in Lebanon and Syria, even though they are not part of its territory. He confirmed that this control paves the way for comprehensive normalization, especially if armed groups linked to Iran, such as Hezbollah and Hamas, are eliminated.

He added that if Syria and Lebanon move to normalize relations with Israel, and Saudi Arabia reaches a peace agreement after the situation in Gaza stabilizes, we will witness a completely new landscape in the Middle East.

The U.S. envoy pointed out that “Syria today is not what it once was, and Israel is drawing a new map that transcends the traditional concept of borders.” He clarified that if peace is achieved in Gaza, we will see a new Middle East based on technological and economic cooperation between Gulf states and Israel, and perhaps Syria as well.

Wittykov also considered that there has been a “turning point” in the Syrian file, following the fall of the ousted president Bashar al-Assad's regime, stating that Iran has effectively been removed from Syria, and that Bashar al-Assad is no longer in power, which represents an “unexpected achievement” in the context of weakening the Iranian axis in the region.

He concluded by saying, “What happened in Syria was a massive turning point for the region, and removing Assad was a huge step that no one expected, and Syria is now outside of Iranian influence.”

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