Unless Syria spirals further into crisis, and recent developments suggest the situation is deteriorating, two close friends Rabbi Abraham Cooper and Pastor Johnnie Moore are expected to visit the war-torn nation within weeks. Syria has been under Islamic rule since the fall of the Assad regime last year.
Despite their religious differences, the two share a close working relationship and common goals. Neither currently holds an official role on behalf of the US government. However, Moore is part of President Donald Trump's close circle, and Cooper previously served as chairman of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, with Moore also a former member. Their trip to Syria is contingent upon Trump's personal approval.
"Our goal is to examine and assess. We're not naïve. There was no kumbaya moment," Cooper said in a phone call from Los Angeles, describing their recent meeting in New York with Syria's Foreign Minister Assad Hassan al-Shibani.
This is not the first time Moore and Cooper have undertaken such a diplomatic endeavor. A similar visit to Bahrain over a decade ago contributed to the eventual Abraham Accords. Just like then, the duo has crafted a set of parameters to guide their engagements. They evaluate each country based on the answers and, more importantly, the actions they observe, which then inform their recommendations for how the US should proceed.
At the start of their meeting, Shibani promptly invited the two to visit Damascus. "He was well-prepared, with detailed responses. It was clear he had done his homework," Cooper said. The 45-minute discussion took place with the help of an interpreter, although the Syrian foreign minister is proficient in English.
Among the topics raised was a proposed humanitarian project to be operated in Syria with the support of several countries, including Israel. This initiative was just one of 10 to 15 issues presented during the meeting.
What's on the list?
"We're concerned with the status of minorities and non-Muslim religious groups," said Cooper. Naturally, the future of Syrian-Israeli relations also came up. According to Cooper, the foreign minister understands that "Syria cannot be rebuilt without the United States. His vision is to unify and rehabilitate the country, but that can only happen if international sanctions are lifted, and that won't happen without US approval. They know they need America."
From the American perspective, any normalization of ties between the new Syrian regime and Israel is a prerequisite. This too was discussed during the meeting. "The Syrian leadership understands the immense challenges ahead in achieving their vision of reconstruction," said Cooper.
In the same breath, he issued a cautionary reminder. "But we also need to remember what happened with the Taliban. Before the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, they promised to uphold minority rights and education for girls. Today, girls are home-schooled, if at all. So yes, there's a vision, but we need to see if and how it can be implemented, especially in Syria, where things are always complicated."
