Syrian Jewish group welcomes US removal of Syria from state terror sponsors list
Syria’s first registered Jewish nongovernmental organization on Tuesday welcomed the Trump administration’s decision to remove the country from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.
The Jewish Heritage of Syria Foundation called the move “an important step toward Syria’s reintegration and recovery and toward a future in which its rich and diverse cultural heritage can be preserved and celebrated.”
The U.S. State Department formally revoked Syria’s designation on Monday, following a required 45-day congressional review. Syria had been on the list since 1979. The administration also removed Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist group formerly led by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, from its designation as a specially designated global terrorist organization.
The move comes less than two years after al-Sharaa’s forces overthrew longtime President Bashar Assad on Dec. 8, 2024. He was named Syria’s transitional president in January 2025.
The Trump administration has progressively eased U.S. sanctions on Syria as it has sought to encourage the country’s economic recovery and its reintegration into the international community. The latest action removes restrictions associated specifically with the state-sponsor designation and is expected to facilitate investment and financial transactions involving Syria.
Syria was once home to a Jewish community numbering in the tens of thousands. Today, about six Jews, all elderly, are believed to remain in the country.
Henry Hamra, a Syrian-born Jew who lives in Brooklyn, leads the Jewish Heritage in Syria Foundation. He is the son of Rabbi Yosef Hamra, who left Syria in 1992 and is a leader of the Syrian Jewish community in New York. Hamra and his father have returned to Syria since Assad’s ouster to visit Jewish sites and assess efforts to restore synagogues and other properties.
“Our work has been met with support from the Syrian government and people, and we believe it is fitting that Syria is no longer classified as a state sponsor of terrorism,” the foundation stated, adding the move will create “new opportunities for members of the Syrian diaspora to reconnect with and contribute to the preservation of their ancestral heritage.”
The foundation’s optimism comes as tensions remain high between Syria and Israel. Israel has carried out strikes in Syria since Assad’s fall, citing security concerns, while Damascus has condemned the attacks and demanded an end to Israeli military activity on Syrian territory. On Aug. 23, Syrian and Israeli officials held U.S.-mediated talks in Jordan to ease tensions and revive negotiations toward a security agreement.
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The Jewish Heritage of Syria Foundation, Syria's first registered Jewish NGO, welcomed the Trump administration's decision to remove Syria from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism. The U.S. State Department formally revoked the designation on Monday, following a 45-day congressional review. Syria had been on the list since 1979. The foundation called the move "an important step toward Syria’s reintegration and recovery and toward a future in which its rich and diverse cultural heritage can be preserved and celebrated." The administration has progressively eased U.S. sanctions on Syria to encourage economic recovery and international reintegration. Henry Hamra, who leads the foundation, stated, "Our work has been met with support from the Syrian government and people, and we believe it is fitting that Syria is no longer classified as a state sponsor of terrorism." This action is expected to facilitate investment and financial transactions involving Syria. The move comes less than two years after al-Sharaa’s forces overthrew longtime President Bashar Assad on Dec. 8, 2024, with al-Sharaa named Syria’s transitional president in January 2025. This decision also follows U.S.-mediated talks between Syrian and Israeli officials in Jordan on August 23 to ease tensions.
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