Hebrew-language media outlets have revealed secret meetings between officials from the Israeli occupation and the new Syrian government to discuss security-related matters, coinciding with U.S. President Donald Trump’s public call for Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shar’a to join the normalisation agreements.
According to Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth, a high-level meeting took place last week in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, between the Head of the Operations Directorate in the Israeli army and senior officials close to President Al-Shar’a.
The report explained that the meeting was part of broader discussions involving both Israel and Turkey regarding Syria—referencing ongoing talks between Turkish and Israeli officials on how to avoid direct confrontation within Syrian territory.
The Times of Israel also reported on recent covert talks with Syrian officials, stating that the discussions included the possibility of Syria joining the Abraham Accords—claims attributed to unnamed sources.
Israel’s Channel 12 indicated that the talks were being mediated by the United Arab Emirates. According to the report, Israeli officials view Damascus as potentially leaving the Iran-led axis and aligning instead under the U.S. regional umbrella.
These revelations come just days after a high-profile summit in Riyadh, where President Trump met Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shar’a, alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who participated via video link.
Following the summit, Trump praised his Syrian counterpart multiple times, describing Al-Shar’a as “a man with a strong past” and expressing confidence in his ability to represent Syria effectively during the coming phase.
Trump added that Al-Shar’a “will recognise Israel once stability is restored in his country.” The White House also stated that the Syrian President reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement signed with Israel.
Speculation around potential Syrian–Israeli normalisation has increased recently, with Syrian silence giving way to a rare statement by Al-Shar’a during a visit to Paris. There, he acknowledged indirect negotiations with Israel aimed at preventing escalation and loss of control on the ground.
Reuters also reported that the UAE has opened an indirect communication channel between Syria and Israel focused on security issues, particularly those related to “counterterrorism files.”
