Israeli official confirms direct talks with Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – An Israeli official confirmed on Tuesday that direct communications are underway between Israel and the Syrian transitional government, marking a potential turning point in long-frozen relations between the two countries.
According to sources, this shift follows recent Turkish-led de-escalation efforts and high-level meetings between Israeli and Syrian officials held in Azerbaijan.
Media outlets have also reported in-person meetings between representatives of both governments inside the region.
In a closed-door session of the Israeli Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee—leaked by Israel Hayom—Israeli National Security Council chief Tzachi Hanegbi revealed that the two sides are engaged in ongoing and direct dialogue, countering Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s earlier claim to French President Emmanuel Macron that contacts with Israel remain indirect.
Hanegbi stated that he personally oversees both security and political coordination with Damascus, asserting that communication has moved beyond backchannel or mediated contact to become a “daily, direct dialogue” involving multiple levels of government.
He added that there are many shared interests between the two governments, particularly regarding Iran’s presence in the region.
The Israeli official suggested that Tehran’s role in Syria is a key point of convergence between Israeli and Syrian agendas.
Hanegbi also indicated that Syria and Lebanon are now being considered for future normalization agreements with Israel, similar to the Abraham Accords signed with several Arab countries in 2020.
In a notable development, Hanegbi mentioned that Israel may consider withdrawing from the buffer zone in the Golan Heights if normalization with Syria moves forward, stating that the option will be on the table.
He further added that Israeli military intelligence is closely monitoring the political trajectory of former Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa, whose potential re-emergence could impact Syria’s foreign policy stance, noting that his experience could lead to gradual changes in Syria’s positions.