Syrian social media platforms witnessed a wave of joy and controversy following the White House's announcement on Monday that US President Donald Trump had signed an executive order to end sanctions imposed on Syria.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Sheibani welcomed the decision via Twitter, saying, "We welcome the cancellation of the majority of the sanctions program imposed on the Syrian Arab Republic, pursuant to the historic executive order issued by President Trump. This decision represents an important turning point that will contribute to advancing Syria toward a new phase of prosperity, stability, and openness to the international community."
This decision comes approximately six weeks after the meeting between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and US President Donald Trump, sponsored by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh.
Syrian activists widely interacted with the decision, emphasizing that this is no ordinary day in the history of the new Syria. Lifting sanctions after years of siege and deprivation restores hope to millions of Syrians who have been deprived of their most basic rights, such as access to medicine, food, work, and stability.
Activists noted that lifting international sanctions on Syria would open the door to investment in various sectors, particularly agriculture and livestock, as local markets and their regional partners are suffering from a shortage of these products.
Others called for attracting companies and building economic cities, given Syria's strategic location, which allows it to connect Europe and the Arab region.
Activists' opinions varied regarding the decision. Some considered it an important step within the "neutralization and containment" policy, while others indicated that Israel is closely monitoring developments and will not miss an opportunity to subjugate the new leaders in Syria.
Some questioned Turkey's ability to support Syria during this transitional phase and the ability of the new Syrian leadership to manage the coming period.
Some commentators believed that President Trump had used his executive powers to lift some of the sanctions on Damascus, avoiding objections from Congress, some agencies, and national security advisors.
They believed that Trump was seeking to encourage Damascus to move forward with normalization with Israel, and that this decision would represent an economic breakthrough that would strengthen the regime's popularity within Syria.
Explaining the details of the decision, activists explained that sanctions on Syria are divided into two types:
Sanctions passed by Congress, such as the Caesar Act and the Captagon Act, which the US president cannot permanently revoke, but can only suspend them periodically for six months.
Executive sanctions imposed directly by the president, which can be immediately revoked by a new executive order, which is what President Trump did in this case.
It is worth noting that some US sanctions on Syria date back to the 1980s and earlier.
Al Jazeera, Syria Journal
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.