Syria expects security talks with Israel to resume soon despite mistrust
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Syria expects security talks with Israel to resume soon despite a lack of trust between the two sides, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said, calling on Israel to pursue diplomacy and withdraw from Syrian territory.
In a Reuters interview in Damascus on Saturday, al-Shaibani said negotiations over a security agreement had been suspended since the start of the Iran war but were expected to restart. He said contact between Damascus and Israel was cut following Israel’s recent strike on Abu al-Duhur military airbase in Idlib Governorate, northwestern Syria.
“We do not trust Israel currently,” al-Shaibani said, adding that dialogue was necessary if it could produce results.
The United States has been working for more than a year to broker a security agreement between Israel and the Syrian transitional government. Talks have struggled as Israel has maintained military positions in Syrian territory and carried out strikes against Syrian targets, citing security concerns.
Al-Shaibani said the sides had reached preliminary understandings on most elements of a potential agreement earlier this year, including provisions requiring Israel to halt attacks and withdraw from territory seized after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
The proposed agreement would establish several security zones inside Syria near the Israeli border, including a buffer zone monitored only by the United Nations and areas where Syrian forces would deploy at different levels.
Al-Shaibani said Damascus believed Israel had not shown sufficient willingness to implement the understandings.
He said Syria’s immediate priority was to stop Israeli attacks before discussing broader peace issues, including the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
U.S. special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said Washington was working on a mechanism to prevent conflict involving Israel, Syria and Turkey.
Al-Shaibani said no agreement had been reached on the mechanism and stressed that it should help end attacks and facilitate a security deal rather than strengthen Israel’s presence in Syrian territory.