Axios reported on Monday, citing American and Israeli officials, that the Trump administration has been conducting preliminary discussions aimed at reaching a possible security agreement between Israel and Syria.
Last Wednesday, Syria’s President Ahmad Al-Shara announced that indirect negotiations with the Israeli occupation are continuing through international mediators, to curb repeated Israeli incursions and attacks inside Syrian territory, particularly in the south.
Al-Shara’s remarks came during a meeting with community elders and dignitaries from Quneitra Province and the occupied Golan Heights, held at the Presidential Palace in Damascus, according to an official statement released by the Syrian Presidency and published on the “X” platform.
Focus on Israeli Violations and Local Struggles
The statement noted that the meeting covered key service, living, and security issues faced by residents of the two regions, with an emphasis on their suffering due to persistent Israeli aggression.
President Al-Shara listened to the concerns shared by attendees, reaffirming his commitment to conveying their voices and working to end Israeli violations through an indirect negotiation track.
Al-Shara highlighted the importance of local leaders in strengthening national unity, advocating for citizens’ rights, and relaying their grievances, stressing that the Syrian state remains steadfast in its political and diplomatic efforts to safeguard sovereignty.
Second Acknowledgement of Indirect Talks
This marks the second time Al-Shara has publicly acknowledged the ongoing backchannel talks with Tel Aviv. He had previously alluded to the same negotiation track during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris last May, where he urged the Israeli occupation to “cease its interference in Syrian affairs and end its indiscriminate attacks.”
UAE-Mediated Backchannel
On May 7, Reuters quoted three informed sources confirming that the United Arab Emirates opened a discreet backchannel between Syria and Israel to create an atmosphere of calm and facilitate a potential security understanding. According to the sources, these secret communications focused on security and intelligence issues to build trust between the two sides, which do not have official diplomatic ties.
Context
The reported talks come amid growing regional speculation that the US administration may push for unprecedented normalisation moves involving Syria — a country that has long resisted diplomatic recognition of Israel, particularly over the occupied Golan Heights and repeated Israeli airstrikes on Syrian soil.
