U.S. President Donald Trump met with Syria's president in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and urged him to normalise ties with longtime foe Israel, after a surprise U.S. announcement that it would lift all sanctions on the Islamist-led government.

President Trump urged Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to sign the Abraham Accords in a previously unplanned meeting on Wednesday — one day after lifting all sanctions on the Middle Eastern country.

President Donald Trump laid out a number of asks of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, including to fully normalize relations with Israel under Abraham Accords in exchange for sanctions relief.

Israeli officials have put a brave face on U.S. President Donald Trump bypassing them on a Middle East trip this week, but his decision to do so is the latest to sow doubt in Israel about where it stands in Washington's priorities.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Thursday in Antalya, Turkey with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, the State Department said. It's the first such meeting in 15 years. Why it matters: It's another step in normalizing relations between the countries after President Trump met President Ahmed al-Sharaa and made the shocking pronouncement that the U.

According to Tur-Paz, what’s unfolding is not just a diplomatic snub but a structural breakdown. “Trump is heading toward an agreement in Gaza—potentially without Israeli consent,” he said. “He skipped Israel entirely.”

Edan Alexander, the last known living American hostage in Hamas captivity, was released after a surprise announcement by the militant group. CNN’s Jerusalem Bureau Chief Oren Liebermann breaks down what we can glean about US-Israel relations as a result.