Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has arrived in New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly. This marks the first visit by a Syrian president in nearly six decades. Al-Sharaa came to power after ousting Bashar Assad, ending a 14-year civil war. Since then, he has worked to restore ties with Arab countries and the West. However, his past ties with al-Qaida have made some officials wary. Al-Sharaa is likely to use his U.N. visit to push for further sanctions relief for Syria. Meanwhile, tensions with Israel remain high, with ongoing negotiations for a security deal.