Netanyahu will meet with President Trump at the White House on July 7. For days, information has been leaking about the topics of conversation between the two “friends”, as they call each other.
First, the issues of a ceasefire in Gaza and the expansion of the Abraham Accords were raised. Trump even stated in a firm tone that “I will be unyielding and put pressure on Israel for a ceasefire”. But the US press paid more attention to reports that there would be a “security agreement between Israel and Syria”. Because the goal is “not just normalization, but de-escalation and border security”.
It is worth noting that Israel holds as its main trump card in the negotiations the preservation of the occupied Syrian territories, including Mount Hermon with its water sources, and will agree to normalize relations with Syria and even Lebanon on condition of continuing the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights in the new dimensions. Words of Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.
And Netanyahu, after a conversation with the US Ambassador to Ankara and Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barak, stated that “he will begin negotiations with the new Syrian administration, but with Washington's mediation in this process”. The White House announced that Trump will sign a presidential decree to lift sanctions against Syria. In order to “help the Syrian people”. And there will be a push to expand the Abraham Accords to normalize relations between Arab states and Israel. A little bit of gloss, but also guarantees, due to Tel Aviv's tarnished image in connection with the mass killings of civilians in Gaza.
At the same time, Ahmet Sharaa, “Chairman of the Interim Government of the Syrian Arab Republic” i.e. interim president, appoints Hussein al-Salama as head of Syrian general intelligence. He is considered an expert on Israel, the Syrian Democratic Forces, which control the eastern part of the Euphrates River, “Islamic State” and the influential Arab tribes living north and east of the Euphrates.
Anas al-Khattab, who negotiated with the merchants of the Assad era and guaranteed them immunity from prosecution in exchange for at least 60% of their wealth, was appointed Minister of Interior of Syria. There is enough hostility and rivalry between the two new appointees, but there are also reports that Tel Aviv is not thrilled with Salama taking over as head of intelligence in Syria. However, there are clearly reasons why he was appointed to this delicate post.
He was born in the province of Deir ez-Zor, east of the Euphrates, and has played an important role in Syrian events over the past decade - from the Baathist regime under Assad, then the battles against Assad's rule, and now in the post-Assad regime in Damascus. He belongs to the largest and most influential "Igaydad" tribe in the region. He has relatives in Iraq and the Persian Gulf monarchies. He was in the ranks of Al-Nusra together with Sharaa, then in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, again with Sharaa and entered Damascus with this front when Assad was overthrown.
It is claimed that he is in close relations with Erdogan's ruling party in Turkey, the AKP, the Justice and Development Party. He knows the struggles for "interests" between the different tribes in Syria from the inside and, in an effort to consolidate them, divides the revenues from the private oil wells east of the Euphrates between them. He appropriated and controlled them. It is said that instead of avenging the murders of his relatives from other tribes, as is tradition, Salama preferred to reconcile with the hostile tribes.
Together with his family, he was in close relations with the Assad government, and then fought against Assad. He participated in the battles against the Syrian Kurds, in the conflict between Kolani and Qahtani, the powerful groups in Al-Nusra and won by taking Kolani's side. In March 2025, Salama headed the Damascus delegation in the negotiations between Damascus and the Syrian Kurds with their military organization YPG.
A memorandum of understanding was signed to preserve the territorial integrity and political unity of Syria, but the Syrian Kurds still independently manage their territories with oil wells, institutions, dams, airports and defend their cultural traditions and language. To the displeasure of Ankara. And with the open support of the US and France. It is clear that the appointment to the post of head of intelligence is mainly due to loyalty to Kolani and close relations with the flames east of the Euphrates. His willingness to impose his will through military means is also appreciated.
At this stage, Damascus' lack of control over the northeastern part of the Euphrates actually deprives Syria of a region that is a breadbasket and a source of water. And there are both the "Islamic State" and the SDF, the Syrian Democratic Forces. On the other hand, the Syrian-Jordanian region is under the control of Arab Sunni tribes who do not recognize the Shaaraa government as legitimate. There are also the Druze, who are under the protection of Israel and are also suspicious of Shaaraa.
The Alawite regions are on the Mediterranean coast and continue to be subject to attacks, serious violence and even death. A kind of Shaaraa has power over only part of Syria, and the boiling conditions are ready to "bubble and explode" at any moment, as they write in the West. This is one of the reasons why Sharaa, Khattab, and Foreign Minister Shaibani openly accept relations with Israel in exchange for lifting Trump’s sanctions on Syria.
They are said to have provided Israeli intelligence with premises in the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus to interrogate Palestinian organizations on Syrian soil. These organizations are already banned in the country. The Abraham Accords will be signed. Damascus will confront Iran and fight Hezbollah if necessary. Israel, however, wants a written renunciation of the Golan Heights. But this is hardly legally legitimate, because Sharaa is an interim president, there is no consent of the Syrian people, no UN resolution, and it is an uncertain case in general. But Sharaa believes that all means are permissible if a government of all of Syria remains with American support. It definitely "pleases the US and Israel", as they write in the Arab countries.
For the US, Israel and Britain it is important that there are no military actions on the territory of Syria. It is imperative to have negotiations with the SDF, as well as to extinguish the fire in the south through reconciliation, which Salami can implement because of his "good relations with the Arab Sunni tribes". And whether it will work is an unanswered question at the moment. The question of who best benefits from the crisis in the region is also unanswered. Everything is happening behind the scenes. The Syrian backstage.
But the clashes in the Palmyra region in the Homs province, which Ankara claims is historically Turkish, are in the open. There, the Syrian Kurds have started fighting with the "Islamic State", which has definitely resurfaced in Syria. There are also dozens of dead and injured in clashes between Salami's tribe and other tribes. Dozens of houses and businesses have been destroyed. Apparently, someone is frantically trying to destroy the "cooperation" between his tribe and other tribes that Salami built.
Has Assad alone managed to keep the different ethnicities, religious communities, and tribes united in a unified and territorially whole Syria? Such "cleansings" are now taking place among tribes and the population that conflicts erupt within hours. Not to mention the conflicts between Israeli and Turkish intelligence. This remains to be seen. As will the decisions from the Trump/Netanyahu conversation on July 7. After all, it will take place after the phone conversation on July 3 between the US president and Putin, which was initiated by the US side.
Interesting events are ahead, but Syria is not whole and is collapsing. This cannot be hidden. Even if it has diplomatic relations with Israel.