Jordan Daily – A human rights group advocating for Palestinians in Syria criticised a White House statement issued following a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Riyadh, warning that vague language in the communiqué could put innocent people at risk.
The White House said Washington would lift long-standing sanctions on Syria after the meeting but urged the Syrian government to deport Palestinians allegedly involved in “terrorist activities.” The statement did not name any individuals or groups.
The Action Group for Palestinians of Syria said the terminology used by the U.S. administration was ambiguous and lacked a clear legal basis.
“Are we talking about internationally designated armed elements? Or is the classification subject to U.S. political discretion? Or does it simply open the door to collective measures that could affect thousands of innocent people?” the group said in a statement.
Syria was home to approximately 630,000 Palestinian refugees prior to the outbreak of civil war in 2011. That number has since dropped to an estimated 440,000 as many fled the country or were killed in the conflict.
Washington’s move to ease sanctions marks a shift in U.S. policy, but the rights group warned that the call for deportations, based on undefined terms, could have serious humanitarian implications.
