Syrian President Ahmad al‑Shara reportedly met Monday with Israel’s National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi in Abu Dhabi, Syrian sources said. One source called the meeting “a significant step in the Syrian‑Israeli negotiations.” The report noted this was not the first time the two officials had met.
Last week, diplomatic sources said Syria was advancing “quiet” talks with Israel—not aimed at peace, but at a limited security agreement. The interests of Syria’s president, who is seeking foreign investment and sanctions relief, and Israel’s concern for northern border security, appear to be aligned. This would not entail a warm peace or the opening of embassies, but a security pact, not full normalization.
“Anyone imagining eating falafel in Damascus should keep dreaming,” one source said.
The expected agreement could include security guarantees, a pledge to counter terrorist activity, measures to curb Iranian influence, and a restriction of terror operatives near the border. According to foreign reports, Israel has already used Syrian airspace to strike Iranian targets—suggesting informal coordination between the two nations, even if not official.
These discussions are rooted in the 1974 separation-of-forces agreement that ended the Yom Kippur War and subsequent War of Attrition. That accord defined borders, troop deployments and monitoring mechanisms—withstanding tense periods since then. Officials in Jerusalem believe the agreement could be updated to address present-day threats—provided Syria shows real restraint and detachment from Iranian sway.
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About two months ago, U.S. President Donald Trump also met with al‑Shara, reportedly the first encounter between a U.S. president and a Syrian president in 25 years. The White House said Trump urged al‑Shara to join the Abraham Accords with Israel and expel Palestinian terrorist groups. Following that meeting, Trump told reporters that Washington was exploring normalization with Syria’s new government, starting with the presidential meeting. He affirmed that sanctions relief was intended to give Syria a fresh start.
After the historic meeting, al‑Shara said, “Syria is committed to being a country of peace and cooperation and faithful to every good hand extended toward it.” He added: “Syria will no longer be a battleground for power struggles or a stage for foreign ambitions. We will not allow Syria to be divided or revive the narratives of the former regime that sought to fracture our people. Syria belongs to all Syrians.”