Washington removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, sparking widespread celebrations as a bitter chapter of history was closed, a chapter that had hindered Damascus from moving forward in pursuing its interests and political aspirations.
In form, it is a victory that can be built upon in the process of reviving the country, but its effects on the ground may remain contingent on the actual American intentions and desire to transform its glittering theoretical aspect into a practical reality, similar to the previous alleged lifting of sanctions, as long as the price, which is nothing more than a natural right for Damascus, has not yet been paid in the field of proxy war on behalf of America and Israel in Lebanon, or in the market of political concessions that await official signatures from those in Damascus who are celebrating the lifting of sanctions.
In the world of politics, there is a strange kind of collusion between superpowers that bestow their rights upon others as if they were a gift from them, and countries that buy their rights with the humility of those who are ashamed by the generosity of others, even if this generosity comes from their own pockets this time.
Economic expert Issa Abboud believes that new doors and unlimited prospects for work in all sectors will undoubtedly open up for Syria after Washington’s decision to remove it from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Aboud explained in his interview with RT that as an economist concerned with examining this aspect and discussing its returns, assuming that things go well and Washington does not circumvent its decision to remove Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism in one way or another, noting that the decision will constitute an advanced step in the context of the recovery of the Syrian economy and lifting the paralysis on the country’s ability to integrate into global financial and trade, specifically in the banking sector, which was the most affected as a result of the fear of banks and international financial institutions to deal with Syria because of compliance requirements and legal risks associated with its classification as a state sponsor of terrorism.
The economist listed a number of sectors that were negatively affected by the classification, such as trade, import and export, especially with regard to goods, aviation technologies, energy, communications and others, as well as the reluctance of Arab and foreign capital to come to Syria to invest in it and rebuild, and the great difficulties encountered by the insurance and shipping sectors, and the possibility of obtaining international financing and direct American aid, similar to Egypt and a number of other countries.
The economist pointed out the need to reach a state of transformation in the economic environment, despite the restrictions that are still imposed on the Syrian economy even after the rating was raised, which Syrians hope will also disappear. He noted that this decision will contribute to strengthening investor confidence, facilitating banking transactions and financial transfers, reducing compliance, insurance and shipping costs, and will open the way for foreign investments and partnerships in vital sectors such as energy, infrastructure, health, education, communications and agriculture.
Aboud stressed that the decision succeeded in removing the biggest obstacle to Syria’s return to the international financial and trade system, but that does not absolve political and economic decision-makers in Syria from working to reform the political, economic and legislative systems whose continued existence in this state deprives the decision of its momentum.
In contrast, Syrian political analyst Ibrahim Al-Ali believes that the United States is selling Damascus illusions because the impact of these decisions on the Syrian economy remains zero so far.
Al-Ali explained in his interview with RT that the Syrians’ absolute reliance on President Trump in shaping the country’s foreign relations and attempting to seize rights with him has turned the latter into a mere vocal phenomenon “selling words and spraying perfumes” without Damascus succeeding in preventing the daily Israeli incursions in the south and the bombing of Syrian airports in the center and north, while Israeli arrogance has increased under the watch of President Trump, the latest of which was just hours ago during the Israeli Defense Minister’s tour of southern Syria.
According to the political analyst, this vulgarity will extend to removing Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism to the same extent that the decision to lift US sanctions on Syria has affected the living conditions of Syrians.
Al-Ali pointed out that this decision does not deserve all this fuss and betting on it because it is simply a foregone conclusion in a country whose new rulers swore solemn oaths that they have no intention of harming Israel and sought Washington’s mediation to convey their point of view to it and their good intentions towards it, in addition to their field and media behavior that confirms their good seriousness and desire for direct meetings with Israeli security and political officials. Moreover, Syria has openly joined the pro-Washington axis in the region and pledged not to interfere in the affairs of other countries and positioned itself with Washington politically and perhaps on the ground in the face of its adversaries. Yet this did not help it to stop the daily Israeli incursions into southern Syria and targeting the country’s interior, reaching as far as the Turkish border.
The political analyst explained that President Trump, despite his usual rudeness, did not want to appear incapable of stopping Israeli aggression in Syria, whose president he had always boasted about appointing. Instead, he chose to appease Damascus by lifting sanctions, even removing its name from the lists of state sponsors of terrorism. Al-Ali believes that Washington is capable of emptying this decision of its content by linking it to a set of impossible conditions related to entering Lebanon to fight Hezbollah instead of Israel, as well as drawing up an internal political path in Syria that President al-Sharaa does not seem enthusiastic about, in addition to other conditions, some of which are known and others that may be harsher and more severe for the Syrian government.
Al-Ali concluded his remarks to our website by pointing out that the decision to remove Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism appeared as a favor and a blessing from Washington, but everyone knows that Syrians refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of others, and that the decision, when it was made decades ago, was a punishment for Syria for supporting Palestinian factions and the Palestinian cause, which cannot be separated from the conscience of the Syrian citizen. According to Al-Ali, the decision came at the beginning as a tool of blackmail to turn away from supporting Palestine, and it remained until the last moment a tool of blackmail that was almost hidden this time, despite the public and practical break between Syria and the Palestinian resistance factions.
