Syria Urges Israel to Resume Security Deal Negotiations

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani has urged Israel to seize a historic opportunity to resume negotiations over a security deal. The proposed agreement, which was nearly finalized earlier this year, would require Israel to cease attacks on Syria and withdraw from territories seized following the 2024 fall of Bashar al-Assad. The deal would establish security zones, including a UN-monitored buffer zone.

Diplomatic progress has been frozen since the start of the Iran war and was further strained by a recent Israeli strike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase. Israel justified the attack by claiming Damascus was allowing Turkish forces to deploy radar and air defense systems at the site, a claim both Syria and Turkey deny. The Israel Defense Forces struck buildings and runways to maintain air force freedom of operation, stating that while they do not oppose the rebuilding of the Syrian military, they maintain red lines against new threats near the border.

In response to the friction, Israel and Turkey are conducting secret backchannel communications to avoid military confrontation. Meanwhile, the United States is pressuring Israel to return to dialogue. U.S. envoy Tom Barrack is working to establish a conflict-prevention mechanism between Israel, Turkey, and Syria, though he has sparked tension by suggesting Israeli strikes were politically motivated to bait Turkey before Israeli elections.