U.S. Special Envoy to Syria, Ambassador Tom Barrack, said Thursday he met with both Israeli and Syrian officials in Paris, acting as a mediator between Israel’s Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and Syrian Foreign Minister Hassan al‑Shibani.
Barak said the direct talks were aimed at fostering dialogue and reducing tensions, adding, “That is exactly what we achieved.” He said all parties reaffirmed their commitment to continuing those efforts.
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Syrian Foreign Minister Hassan al‑Shibani and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer
(Photo: Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Images, Emil Salman)
According to the Syrian Center for Human Rights, the proposed agreement between Israel and Syria includes the following provisions:
- The issue of the predominantly Druze southern province of Sweida will be entrusted to the United States, with a U.S. monitoring commitment to oversee implementation.
- All tribal (Bedouin) and General Security forces must withdraw beyond the Druze villages.
- Druze factions will conduct sweeps of all villages to confirm absence of tribal and government forces.
- Local councils comprising Sweida residents will be formed to oversee delivery of services to citizens.
- A committee will be established to document violations and submit reports to the U.S. side.
- The Quneitra and Daraa provinces, near the Israeli border, will be disarmed; local security committees will be formed from those areas on condition they do not possess heavy weapons.
- No organization linked to the Syrian government is permitted entry into Sweida; UN agencies will be allowed.
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Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Sheikh Muwaffaq Tarif, the leader of the Druze community in Israel. Speaking at the state-run memorial ceremony for Ze’ev Jabotinsky at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, Netanyahu described the meeting and declared, “We will not abandon our Druze brethren in southern Syria.” He said, “I met today with the Druze leader Tarif and told him that in light of the horrific massacre, our policy in southern Syria takes on new urgency.”
Netanyahu said the new aim is “to secure the area south of Damascus adjacent to our border.” He pledged, “We will do whatever is necessary, and more, to help and protect the Druze.”
“We cannot remain indifferent to the horrifying scenes emerging from Sweida,” he added.
More than 1,300 people have been killed in the deadly clashes in the Druze-majority province of Sweida. Recent social media posts have circulated graphic imagery and videos from the fighting—among them, execution-style killings of Druze civilians by armed fighters. One video, dated July 15, shows a group of young men being shot dead in Tishrin Square in Sweida. Other disturbing footage shared this week depicts Druze captives being humiliated and killed in cruel ways, including forced jumps from balconies while gunmen fired upon them.