[2025-08-28] Ranking Member Shaheen, Senator Ernst, Representative…

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC), Co-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, released the following statement on Israel’s strikes in Damascus, Syria:

“We just returned from Syria, where we heard directly from interim President Al Sharaa, cabinet ministers and Syrians from across ethnic and religious communities. The message was clear: Syria needs a chance to succeed and move past the violence and strife that consumed the country for over 14 years. Last night’s destabilizing strikes on Syria by Israel make that goal more difficult to achieve.

“We commend President Trump for taking the bold step of lifting sanctions off Syria earlier this year. Through the work of the President’s Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, a once-unthinkable and historic meeting occurred directly between the Syrian and Israel governments just this month. The Syrians are prepared to move forward with Israel to advance peace. It is unclear how long the door to this opportunity will remain open. We call on Israel to seize the moment and immediately cease hostilities so the progress made by Syrians and Special Envoy Barrack can continue. A stable and secure Syria is the only path toward freedom from Iran’s reach and containment of the ISIS threat.”

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