Syria-Israel talks resume in Jordan with US mediation
Shafaq News- Damascus
A senior Syrian delegation met Israeli officials on Sunday in US-mediated talks in Jordan, a Syrian Foreign Ministry diplomatic source told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
The Syrian delegation was headed by Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani and included the heads of the General Intelligence and Military Intelligence services. The two sides discussed practical mechanisms to halt Israeli operations and revive negotiations toward a security agreement that could provide the basis for a broader future accord.
During the meeting, Damascus said it has the sovereign right to rebuild and develop its national army and determine its alliances in line with its national interests. It also confirmed its position that the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights is Syrian territory, adding that “discussions over its final status and a path toward resolving the issue remain premature.”
According to the source cited by SANA, the Syrian delegation said its immediate priority was the withdrawal of Israeli forces to positions held before December 8, 2024, along with the full restoration and implementation of the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement between Israel and Syria.
The talks also addressed efforts to support stability in Syria and regional security, including attempts to narrow differences between Turkiye and Israel and prevent tensions between the two countries from spilling into Syrian territory.
Tel Aviv and Damascus suspended negotiations after the US-Israeli war on Iran began on February 28, and contacts ceased following Israel’s August 18 strike on the Abu Al-Duhur airbase. Israel said it targeted the facility to prevent the deployment of Turkish forces there, a claim Damascus and Ankara denied.
Read more: Israel: Secret channels with Turkiye to prevent Syria clash
