Overview

• Ahmed al‑Sharaa arrived in New York and met Secretary of State Marco Rubio, renewing his call for formal repeal of the 2019 Caesar Act after President Trump administratively eased most sanctions.
• Al‑Sharaa said security talks with Israel are at an advanced stage and focused on restoring the 1974 disengagement framework, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned that any deal is not imminent and the Syrian leader ruled out joining the Abraham Accords.
• A State Department readout of the Rubio meeting highlighted counterterrorism coordination, efforts to locate missing Americans and the role of Israel‑Syria relations in regional stability, while lawmakers debate folding Caesar Act repeal into the year‑end defense bill.
• Syria set October 5 for a parliamentary selection in which provincial electoral colleges will choose two‑thirds of seats and the president will appoint one‑third, with officials citing displacement and missing documents for not holding a direct popular vote.
• Diaspora outreach in New York drew an enthusiastic crowd that included Syrian Jews, even as international scrutiny continues over alleged sectarian killings; al‑Sharaa said fact‑finding teams are operating and pledged accountability for abuses.