Thomas J. Barrack Jr., the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, says Washington is facilitating the discussions and prioritizing economic development over nation-building in the Middle East.

Middle East adversaries Israel and Syria have held discussions for weeks about normalization, officials say.

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Monday lifted sanctions against Syria, though his executive order stopped well short of easing pressure on former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In signing the order,