Syria’s Al-Julani Lures Trump: Peace, Oil, and Trump Tower in Damascus

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, remains on the U.S. list of designated terrorists. However, the former jihadist leader is now seeking a dramatic shift in his country’s future, reaching out to Washington, hoping to ease tensions with Israel, and even offering a “Trump Tower” in Damascus.

With President Donald Trump planning a visit to the Middle East, there is growing speculation about a potential meeting between the two leaders. Although this meeting seems unlikely, efforts are being made behind the scenes to arrange it.

American activist Jonathan Bass, who met with al-Sharaa in Damascus on April 30, claimed the Syrian leader had extended “an olive branch” to Israel, but it was met with missiles. “We need Trump to help,” Bass said.

Bass, who spent about four hours with al-Sharaa, is working to secure a historic meeting on the sidelines of Trump’s tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. Al-Sharaa reportedly offered to provide the U.S. access to Syria’s energy resources, reduce tensions with Israel, and cooperate on counterterrorism efforts.

According to Bass, al-Sharaa even proposed building a “Trump Tower” in the heart of Damascus. The Syrian president emphasized that he wants “peace with his neighbors” and noted that both he and Trump share a “common fate,” having both survived assassination attempts.

While al-Sharaa remains on the U.S. terrorist list due to his ties to al-Qaeda, he is now positioning himself as a pragmatic leader who wants to rebuild Syria’s relations with the international community. Sources close to the matter said that although a direct Trump-al-Sharaa meeting is uncertain, senior-level talks between U.S. and Syrian officials are expected to take place during Trump’s visit.

U.S. policy toward Syria has been unclear, but some officials are reconsidering their stance, particularly when viewed through the lens of counterterrorism. A source familiar with the matter said the U.S. administration is taking a fresh look at its relations with Damascus as Trump’s influence continues to grow.

Al-Sharaa’s goal is to convince Washington that Syria no longer poses a threat to Israel. Recently, Israel has increased its airstrikes across Syria, including one near the presidential palace. Israeli officials have described the strikes as a warning to al-Sharaa, especially amid ongoing concerns about the safety of Syria’s Druze minority.

Reports from the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds suggested that al-Sharaa could attend a high-level meeting in Riyadh with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. However, these reports were later denied.

In addition to this outreach, Reuters reported that the UAE has quietly facilitated a backchannel between Syria and Israel. The initiative reportedly focuses on security and intelligence coordination and involves Emirati and former Israeli intelligence operatives. However, the conversations are understood to be limited to terrorism-related issues, without any discussions on direct military matters.

Neither Syria, Israel, nor the UAE has made public comments about the talks. For Syria, the UAE’s normalization with Israel under the Abraham Accords represents a potential model for future engagement and a way to break out of its diplomatic isolation.

While the outcome remains uncertain, al-Sharaa’s attempts at rapprochement with the U.S. and Israel signify a seismic shift for a leader once associated with jihadist militancy. His efforts suggest that Syria may be willing to make big moves to change its future, if only the right partner, in this case, Donald Trump, is willing to meet him halfway.

Ynet contributed to this article.