Syria and Israel hold talks in Jordan
High-level talks between Syria and Israel were held in Jordan on August 23 under the mediation of the United States. According to Reuters, the talks were organized in order to defuse the situation after Israeli strikes on Syrian territory.
The talks discussed a number of important issues:
* Practical mechanisms to stop Israeli strikes, arrests and targeted operations.
* Resuming talks on a security agreement that could pave the way for a broader agreement in the future.
* Reducing tensions between Israel and Turkey and preventing their rivalry from spilling over into Syrian territory.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Shaibani told Reuters on August 22 that Damascus expects security talks with Israel to resume soon. However, he also noted a lack of trust between the parties. According to Shaibani, the talks had been suspended since the start of the Iran-Iraq war. Syria cut off all ties with Israel last week after Israel struck the Syrian air base at Abu al-Duhur.
Washington has been trying for more than a year to broker a security deal between Israel and the government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Shaibani said the two sides had agreed on "almost everything" on paper by early 2026. These included the creation of security zones in southern Syria and a buffer zone where only UN forces would be stationed. But Damascus has been skeptical that Israel will fulfill the agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office did not comment on Shaibani's statements. According to the Syrian state news agency SANA, Syria outlined its first priorities at the meeting on August 23:
* Withdrawing Israeli forces to the positions they held before the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad on December 8, 2024.
* Fully restoring the 1974 separation of forces agreement.
Damascus told the Israeli delegation that it would not accept agreements that would limit its right to rebuild and develop its armed forces. Syria also stressed that it would determine its allies and partners. Syria reiterated that the Golan Heights, which were occupied by Israel, are Syrian territory, but said it was too early to discuss the final status of the territory.
Since Assad’s ouster, Israel has launched a series of strikes on Syrian military facilities. Israel says it is necessary to protect its security. Syria has said it poses no threat to Israel and has demanded an end to the strikes and incursions.
Syria and Israel have been officially at war since 1948. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it. The decision was recognized by the United States but not by most of the international community.