Syrian President Meets With Jewish, Christian Leaders From the US
Rabbi Abraham Cooper and Pastor Johnny Moore, two major American religious leaders, met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Monday. A well-informed source within the Syrian presidency told The Media Line that the atmosphere of the meeting was “calm and candid.”
The meeting was not intended to discuss ties between Syria and Israel, but the topic was “naturally brought up,” the source said. He said that al-Sharaa discussed relations with Israel pragmatically, stressing that the future of the region must be built on dialogue rather than escalation.
Without rejecting the idea of normalizing relations with Israel, al-Sharaa emphasized that Syria’s top priority is internal affairs, the source said.
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Speaking to Reuters after the meeting, Moore said that a peace deal between Syria and Israel is “very possible.”
The ongoing war in Gaza was reportedly not discussed at the meeting, even though Moore was recently appointed head of a US-backed humanitarian organization operating in Gaza. According to the source who spoke to The Media Line, Moore chose not to bring up the topic.
The visitors reportedly proposed launching humanitarian projects that transcend sectarian and ethnic divides, aiming to “break down stereotypes” and form what they called “an informal army of goodwill ambassadors.” The source did not disclose further details about the nature of these projects or potential funding sources.
In addition to meeting with al-Sharaa, the delegation met with Syrian Christian clergy and toured Damascus neighborhoods. These visits took place without official protection. According to the source, the visitors were impressed by a level of tolerance and openness that exceeded their expectations—especially with Rabbi Cooper freely walking through the streets wearing his kippah.
