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Secret Syrian-Israeli talks in Paris aim to ease regional tensions

Yesterday 17:45

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A confidential meeting between Syrian and Israeli officials took place recently in Paris, with the goal of easing tensions following a spike in violence in southern Syria. According to a Syrian diplomatic source, the talks, mediated by the United States, focused on security concerns and preventing further escalation.

In July, Israel launched airstrikes on Damascus and the Druze-majority region of Sweida in southern Syria. Israeli authorities claimed the strikes aimed to protect the Druze community and enforce demilitarization in the area.

The Syrian diplomatic source, cited by state television on Saturday, said that representatives from Syria’s Foreign Ministry and General Intelligence Directorate attended the meeting, alongside Israeli counterparts. The discussions addressed “recent security developments and ways to prevent further escalation in southern Syria.”

U.S. envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, confirmed on Thursday that he had met Syrian and Israeli officials in Paris, though he did not reveal their names. A senior diplomat told AFP that Barrack was attempting to facilitate dialogue between Syrian Foreign Minister Assaad al-Chaibani and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer.

The meeting also explored the potential reactivation of the 1974 disengagement agreement, with international guarantees, and called for the immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from recently advanced positions in southern Syria.

Tensions between the two nations have increased since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December and the rise of an Islamist government. Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes in Syria and deployed forces within the demilitarized zone of the Golan Heights, in what the UN has deemed a violation of the 1974 accord.

While indirect contacts had been previously acknowledged by Damascus, the Paris meeting was the first formal step toward restoring diplomatic channels. A prior encounter between Syrian and Israeli officials reportedly took place on July 12 in Baku during a visit by Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Chareh.

Though no final agreement was reached in Paris, the discussions opened the door to further consultations. The Syrian delegation reiterated its commitment to national sovereignty and unity, declaring those principles non-negotiable.

Israel and Syria remain technically at war since 1948, with Israel occupying part of the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967.