Trump presses Syria leader on Israel ties after lifting sanctions

US president also asks Al Sharaa to deport Palestinian militants

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US President Donald Trump asked Syria's new leader yesterday to normalise relations with Israel after he offered a major boost to the war-ravaged country by announcing the lifting of sanctions.

Trump, on a state visit to Riyadh, became the first US president in 25 years to meet a Syrian leader Ahmad Al Sharaa, an erstwhile Islamist guerrilla and onetime jihadist who had been on a US wanted list and led the overthrow of Bashar Al Assad in December.

The interim Syrian president and Trump, wearing matching suits, shook hands as they met jointly with Saudi Arabia's de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman and, by video link, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the key sup-porter of the new government in Damascus.

At odds with Israel