27.05.2025, 22:49
Israel and Syria have held several rounds of direct talks.
Source: OREANDA-NEWS
OREANDA-NEWS Israel and the new Syrian authorities have organized several rounds of non-public direct talks in recent weeks in order to normalize the situation between the countries, the Financial Times writes, citing unnamed Western diplomats and a Syrian official.
"This is just the beginning. The talks were mainly aimed at preventing outbreaks of violence and forcing Israel to withdraw from the Syrian border areas it occupied," one of the newspaper's interlocutors said.
According to diplomats from Western and Arab countries, Israel and Syria had previously held indirect talks mediated by the UAE. The Syrian delegation, which went to the UAE to start the dialogue, was headed by the governor of the southern province of Quneitra, Ahmed al-Dalati, who previously held a major post in the ranks of the Syrian opposition and had the confidence of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani.
According to one source, at least one round of negotiations took place in Quneitra province, where Israeli troops had previously entered.
The sources also claimed that Israel was trying to convince the United States not to lift sanctions against Syria in order to maintain this leverage over the Syrian leadership.
A Western diplomat told the newspaper that, however, the meeting between US President Donald Trump and al-Sharaa earlier in May demonstrated US intentions towards Syria and encouraged Israel to act in the same spirit sooner.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry and the Israeli Foreign Ministry did not respond to the publication's request for comment. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office declined to comment to the FT.
On May 14, the White House press service reported that Trump, at a meeting in Saudi Arabia with al-Sharaa, called on him to conclude an agreement on normalizing relations with Israel, expel foreign terrorists from Syria and prevent the resurgence of ISIS (a terrorist group banned in Russia). The meeting was organized by Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman. In addition, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined the meeting remotely.
"This is just the beginning. The talks were mainly aimed at preventing outbreaks of violence and forcing Israel to withdraw from the Syrian border areas it occupied," one of the newspaper's interlocutors said.
According to diplomats from Western and Arab countries, Israel and Syria had previously held indirect talks mediated by the UAE. The Syrian delegation, which went to the UAE to start the dialogue, was headed by the governor of the southern province of Quneitra, Ahmed al-Dalati, who previously held a major post in the ranks of the Syrian opposition and had the confidence of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani.
According to one source, at least one round of negotiations took place in Quneitra province, where Israeli troops had previously entered.
The sources also claimed that Israel was trying to convince the United States not to lift sanctions against Syria in order to maintain this leverage over the Syrian leadership.
A Western diplomat told the newspaper that, however, the meeting between US President Donald Trump and al-Sharaa earlier in May demonstrated US intentions towards Syria and encouraged Israel to act in the same spirit sooner.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry and the Israeli Foreign Ministry did not respond to the publication's request for comment. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office declined to comment to the FT.
On May 14, the White House press service reported that Trump, at a meeting in Saudi Arabia with al-Sharaa, called on him to conclude an agreement on normalizing relations with Israel, expel foreign terrorists from Syria and prevent the resurgence of ISIS (a terrorist group banned in Russia). The meeting was organized by Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman. In addition, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined the meeting remotely.
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