Congressman Abraham J. Hamadeh (AZ-08) recently traveled from Jerusalem to Damascus, where he met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani. The visit marks the first time in decades that an American official has moved directly between these two cities.
During his six-hour stay in Syria, Hamadeh discussed several key issues with President al-Sharaa. Among the topics were efforts to return Kayla Mueller’s body to her family in Arizona, the establishment of a secure humanitarian corridor for aid delivery to Suwayda, and the possibility of Syria normalizing relations with Israel by joining the Abraham Accords.
Hamadeh told interim-President al-Sharaa that achieving peace and security for all Syrians—including Christian, Druze, Kurdish, Alawite, and other minority communities—was essential for building a unified country. He stated that this approach is necessary for creating a new Syria reflective of its diverse population.
The congressman also expressed support for former President Donald J. Trump’s decision to lift some sanctions on Syria as a means of aiding reconstruction efforts. However, he emphasized that Congress should oversee this process to ensure Syrian compliance with U.S. expectations. Hamadeh and his staff have been involved in interagency work to monitor developments within Syria during the ongoing conflict.
Hamadeh acknowledged Ambassador and Special Envoy Tom Barrack’s leadership in regional diplomacy efforts.
As a member of both the House Armed Services Committee and Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Hamadeh supports policies aligned with what he describes as an “America First” foreign policy aimed at global stability. He is also co-author of bipartisan legislation known as the Promoting Education on the Abraham Accords for Comprehensive Engagement (PEACE) Act, which seeks to strengthen U.S. diplomatic engagement through training on normalization agreements at the State Department.
Since before taking office in January 2025—when he used Kayla Mueller’s family Bible during his swearing-in ceremony—Hamadeh has pledged to help return Mueller’s remains home. Mueller was abducted by terrorists in 2013 after leaving a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Aleppo; she was later killed while held captive by ISIS. In 2019, U.S. special forces conducted “Operation Kayla Muller” targeting ISIS leadership.
In 2024, Hamadeh won election against Gregory Whitten with 56.5% of the vote compared to Whitten’s 43.5%.
“Congressman Hamadeh strongly emphasized the need for Syria to course correct in light of recent tragic events.”
“The Congressman advised interim-President al-Sharaa that in order to establish a unified Syria, the government must provide peace and security for all of its people, including the Christian, Druze, Kurdish, Alawite, and other minority communities. Congressman Hamadeh asserts that this is the only way to build a new Syria that is reflective of its ethnic and religious mosaic.”
“Congressman Hamadeh remains supportive of President Donald J. Trump’s decision to lift some sanctions in order to assist the Syrian people and their new government in rebuilding their country.”
