Former US Envoy Dismisses Trump Syria Proposal For Lebanon

By Staff, Agencies

Former United States envoy to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman said US President Donald Trump's proposal for Syria to assume a role in "Israel’s" war against the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, Hezbollah, reflected real ignorance of the conflict's logistical and historical complexities.

Feltman, who served as US ambassador in Beirut between 2004 and 2008, described the idea as “a preposterous idea,” adding that it was not a passing remark.

“It’s clear that he’s thought about this or was told about this because he repeated it,” he told The National.

The comments come amid continued "Israeli" attacks on Lebanon despite Washington’s announcement of a supposed ceasefire framework.

Trump’s remarks, according to Feltman, also risk complicating Washington’s relationship with Syria’s current leadership under Ahmad al-Sharaa, whom he has sought to cultivate as an ally following the political transition in Damascus after the fall of the previous government in late 2024.

Feltman said the proposal would place al-Sharaa in an “awkward position,” stressing that it could strain relations with Washington at a sensitive moment.

“It’s awkward for Sharaa but I don’t think he would fall into what would be a trap,” he said.

He also questioned whether the idea originated from external actors, including "Israel", describing it as potentially being floated as a “test” of Syria’s position.

The remarks came as Lebanon faces continued US and "Israeli" pressure to disarm Hezbollah under a US-brokered framework, whose unresolved terms and lack of a clear "Israeli" withdrawal timeline have drawn broad political opposition in Lebanon.

Feltman warned that a Syrian military role in Lebanon would reopen long-standing sensitivities linked to Syria’s 1976–2005 presence, still influential in Lebanese politics.

He also said such an intervention could deepen sectarian tensions and questioned its military feasibility, noting that even "Israel" had failed to defeat Hezbollah despite its capabilities.