Syria and Israel Hold US Mediated Talks in Jordan to De Escalate Tensions

Syria and Israel held high level negotiations in Jordan on Sunday to reduce tensions following recent Israeli strikes on Syrian territory. The talks were mediated by the United States and involved Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al Shaibani and a high level Israeli delegation led by Mossad Chief Roman Gofman. According to the Syrian state news agency SANA, the discussions focused on establishing practical mechanisms to halt Israeli attacks, arrests, and targeted operations, while reviving negotiations for a security agreement that could serve as a basis for a broader future accord.

The meeting follows an Israeli strike on the Abu al Duhur airbase last week. Israel claimed the attack was necessary to prevent Turkish troops from deploying to the facility, a claim denied by both Syria and Turkey. The two sides also discussed efforts to ensure that the rivalry between Israel and Turkey does not spill over into Syrian territory. Syrian officials stated that their immediate priorities include an Israeli withdrawal to positions held before the overthrow of Bashar al Assad on December 8, 2024, and the full restoration of a 1974 disengagement agreement.

Syrian Foreign Minister al Shaibani told Reuters that while the two sides had agreed on paper to almost everything earlier this year, including security zones in southern Syria, there remains a significant lack of trust. He emphasized that Syria would not accept any restrictions on its right to rebuild its armed forces or determine its own alliances. Israeli media reported that the talks were positive, though Israeli officials maintained red lines regarding Turkish military activity in Syria and the demilitarization of the Syrian side of the Golan Heights.

Washington has spent more than a year attempting to broker a security deal between Israel and the government of Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa. Syria and Israel have technically been at war since 1948, and Israel continues to occupy the Golan Heights, which Damascus maintains is Syrian territory.