Israeli soldiers cross the security fence moving toward the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights from Syria, in the town of Majdal Shams, on Dec. 15, 2024. Matias Delacroix/AP
President Donald Trump is urging Israel to maintain a diplomatic approach with Syria after a recent Israeli military operation near the border escalated tensions between the two Middle Eastern neighbors.
In a rare instance of publicly calling on Israel to show restraint, Trump said on Dec. 1 that he is “very satisfied” with the progress of Syria’s interim government and implied that further military action could undermine the country’s transition following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in 2024.
