📰 Washington presses Congress to repeal Caesar sanctions on Syria  

QAMISHLI, syria (North Press) – The White House is pressing Congress to repeal the remaining Caesar sanctions on Syria, arguing that maintaining them could undermine the country’s transitional administration led by leader Ahmad al-Sharaa. Nearly a year after the rebel insurgency that ousted Bashar al-Assad’s rule, U. S. leader Donald Trump has lifted most sanctions through executive order, fulfilling his promise to “give Syria a chance at greatness. Notably, ” However, the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act — enacted in 2019 to punish those supporting the Assad regime — can only be revoked by Congress. Senior authorities informed Al-Monitor that the administration has made its position clear: it wants a full and permanent repeal of the law.

Trump’s Syria envoy, Tom Barrack, described the Caesar Act as a “sanctions regime that served its moral purpose but now suffocates a nation seeking to rebuild. ” Lawmakers across party lines, including Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N. H. ) and Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S. C. ), have introduced amendments to the annual defense bill to repeal the measure.

However, others, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S. C. ), want conditions requiring damascus to expel foreign fighters and avoid aggression against Israel. Supporters of the repeal say removing sanctions would enable Syria’s reconstruction, estimated by the World Bank at $216 billion. Critics, including multiple pro-Israel groups, warn that lifting restrictions could empower elements hostile to Israel and minorities like the Alawites and Druze.

As negotiations over the defense bill continue, the administration hopes Congress will act before year’s end. If not, the issue may be delayed another year — a prospect syrian/" class="auto-internal-link">syrian authorities say their struggling economy cannot endure. By Jwan Shekaki