PARIS — In a significant diplomatic development, Syrian and Israeli officials are preparing to restart high-stakes security negotiations in Paris this week, with United States diplomats serving as mediators. The talks represent the first serious attempt in over a year to de-escalate mounting tensions along the two nations’ shared border.
According to Syrian officials speaking on condition of anonymity, Damascus’s delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and General Intelligence Directorate head Hussein Salameh. The Syrian delegation’s primary objective centers on reactivating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which originally established a United Nations-monitored buffer zone in the Golan Heights region.
The diplomatic initiative comes sixteen months after Israel seized control of the demilitarized zone following the ouster of longtime Syrian leader Bashar Assad. The political transition in December 2024 saw interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa assume power through a rapid insurgent offensive. While al-Sharaa has publicly expressed no desire for conflict with Israel, the new Islamist-led government has faced suspicion from Israeli security establishments.
Israeli forces have maintained their presence in the buffer zone, citing security concerns regarding pro-Assad loyalists and militant elements. The occupation has been accompanied by hundreds of airstrikes on Syrian military installations and periodic ground incursions that have occasionally triggered violent clashes with local residents.
French diplomatic sources confirmed the talks would commence Tuesday, with France’s foreign minister conducting separate discussions with his Syrian counterpart Monday evening. The negotiations mark a revival of previously stalled dialogue between the two technically warring nations.
Damascus has outlined its negotiating position clearly: securing complete Israeli withdrawal to pre-December 2024 positions through a reciprocal security arrangement that respects Syrian sovereignty and prevents external interference in domestic affairs. Israeli officials have yet to publicly comment on the renewed diplomatic initiative, while U.S. envoy representatives have declined to discuss the mediation efforts.