Amman: Syria has confirmed engaging in US-mediated talks with Israel in Jordan, focused on de-escalation following recent Israeli airstrikes and on maintaining neutrality amid tensions between Israel and Turkey, a key ally of Damascus.
According to France24.com, the discussions were a continuation of efforts initiated in January, aiming to establish an intelligence-sharing mechanism between Syria and Israel as they work towards a potential security agreement. The talks followed Israel's bombing of the disused Abu Duhur airbase in northwestern Syria, an act justified by Israel as a preventative measure against potential Turkish military deployments to the site. Turkey, however, denied any such plans.
The Syrian state news agency SANA reported that a high-level Syrian delegation, led by the foreign minister and including chiefs from general and military intelligence, met with an Israeli delegation under US mediation, hosted by Jordan. The meeting was part of efforts to de-escalate tensions following Israeli bombardments and to support regional stability.
The discussions also included efforts to bridge the gap between Turkey and Israel and to ensure that their tensions do not spill over into Syrian territory. Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani met with Roman Gofman, head of Israel's Mossad, to discuss establishing a special operations room in Jordan under US supervision to prevent confrontations involving Syria and Turkey.
US envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, criticized Israel's recent airbase attack as an unnecessary escalation that does not contribute to regional stability. Despite this, tensions remain high, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan exchanging criticisms.
The talks were reportedly the first direct engagement between Syria and Israel in some time, with both parties discussing the creation of practical mechanisms to halt Israeli attacks and revive negotiations towards a security agreement. An Arab diplomat in Damascus suggested that a joint operations room in Jordan would manage security coordination and border control issues.
Israel has conducted numerous strikes on Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 and maintains a presence in a UN-patrolled buffer zone on the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. Recent Israeli strikes in southern Syria have further strained relations, with Syria condemning these actions as violations of its sovereignty. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump continues to advocate for a security agreement between Syria and Israel, though mutual distrust persists.