A new era? Israel holding diplomatic talks with Syria – report

Noting Washington’s diplomatic progress in the region, Israel began rethinking its position regarding the new Syrian regime, reports indicate.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israel has been holding covert talks with Syria’s new regime about joining the Abraham Accords, Israeli media outlets reported on Thursday evening.

The UAE is reportedly mediating the talks.

One of the meetings took place last week in Azerbaijan, with the chief of the IDF Operations Directorate, Maj. Gen. Oded Basyuk, representing Israel.

Israel’s previous position was to regard Ahmad Al-Sharaa, Syria’s interim president, as a former terrorist and to avoid direct dialogue. However, Jerusalem is reportedly rethinking its policy, noting the diplomatic progress being made by U.S. President Donald Trump in the region, including with Syria.

During a historic meeting between Trump and al-Sharaa in Riyadh on Wednesday–the first time a US President and a Syrian leader have met in 25 years–Trump pressed Syria to normalize relations with Israel and join the Abraham Accords.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also attended the meeting, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan joined by phone.

“I told [Sharaa], I hope you’re going to join [the Abraham Accords] once you’re straightened out, and he said yes, but they have a lot of work to do,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One en route from Riyadh to Doha.

During the meeting, Trump also urged the Syrian leader to deport all Palestinian terrorists within his country’s borders and assist the U.S. in combating the Islamic State in Syria (ISIS).