Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action at the Simon Wiesenthal Center for International Affairs, visited Damascus in mid-June along with Pastor Johnny Moore. The two met with Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani, following an earlier meeting with Al-Sharaa in New York last April.
اضافة اعلان
In an extensive interview conducted via Zoom with Al Majalla on June 12, Cooper discussed his visit to Damascus, his role, and his vision for the future of Syria and its relationship with Tel Aviv. The publication of the interview was delayed due to the outbreak of the Israeli-Iranian war, but Cooper later responded in writing to a follow-up question on the matter.
Cooper described his two-hour meeting with President Al-Sharaa as the most important part of the visit:
“It’s only fair to say that when you sit with someone who publicly identifies as having a clear Islamic background—and yet embraces a vision for Syria that includes all its citizens, and who approaches issues with a strategic and practical mindset aimed at removing Syria from the list of hostile states in a volatile region while sincerely expressing hope for peace—it leaves a lasting impact.”
During his meetings with Syrian officials, Cooper proposed two initiatives:
A humanitarian DNA project to help tens of thousands of Syrian families determine the fate of their missing loved ones.
A proposal for increased cooperation in water and agriculture, fields where Israel holds advanced expertise, especially given the vast barren lands he witnessed on his first trip to Syria.
When asked whether Al-Sharaa is seeking a peace deal, Cooper replied:
“I believe he has the tools and skills to make it happen. But peace requires serious effort from both sides. If we have to proceed step by step toward de-escalation, that alone would be a major priority for the Jewish state.”
He added:
“The current focus should be on de-escalation… Yes, we aspire for a warm peace, but it doesn’t have to follow the Abraham Accords framework.”
In response to whether former President Trump could play a decisive role, Cooper stated:
“Simply put: If President Trump invites both leaders—Al-Sharaa and Netanyahu—and embraces them, telling them ‘we’re fully behind you,’ an Abraham Accord could be signed much sooner.”
He emphasized that greater involvement from Trump would expedite Syria’s inclusion in the Abraham Accords:
“Without him, we’ll proceed step by step. But either way, we will continue to play the role of persistent mediators.”
Cooper concluded by highlighting Syria’s current focus on reaffirming the 1974 Disengagement Agreement—violated by Israel following the collapse of the Assad regime on December 8 of last year.
(Al Majalla Magazine)
