Damascus, Syria - Donald Trump on Wednesday became the first US president in 25 years to meet a Syrian leader – Ahmed al-Sharaa, a onetime jihadist once on a US wanted list who 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 Mohammed bin Salman.

Turkey and Saudi Arabia had both advocated reconciliation with Syria, but the move is the latest to put Trump at odds with Israel, which has been bombing and illegally occupying parts of its neighbor's territory since Assad's fall.

The White House said that Trump asked al-Sharaa to normalize relations with Israel by joining the so-called Abraham Accords signed by some Gulf Arab states.

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Trump also demanded the deportation of Palestinians – currently being killed en masse by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank – and tell foreign fighters to leave the country, as well as to take control of camps for captured ISIS fighters, currently run by Kurdish militants opposed by Turkey, the White House said.

Syria's foreign ministry hailed the meeting as "historic", but did not mention the Abraham Accords. Syrian state media also did not mention normalization.

The foreign ministry said the leaders discussed "avenues for Syrian-American partnership in counterterrorism efforts" and the importance of lifting sanctions, which Trump pledged to ease, and supporting reconstruction.

After the half-hour meeting, Trump said the Assad-era sanctions had been "really crippling" on Syria.

"It's not going to be easy anyway, so it gives them a good, strong chance, and it was my honor to do so," Trump said, addressing Gulf Arab leaders.

The US crippled Syria's economy, plunging country into poverty by imposed sweeping restrictions on financial transactions during the brutal civil war.

Trump gave no indication that Syria would be removed from its blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism – a political designation dating back to 1979 over support to Palestinians fighting the Israeli occupation that severely impedes investment.