Dialogos

New Round of Syria-Israel Talks Held, Mediated by Washington

Published January 5, 2026, 16:02
New Round of Syria-Israel Talks Held, Mediated by Washington

A Syrian delegation, including Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaiban, engaged in a new round of negotiations with Israel on Monday, aiming to reach a "balanced security agreement." The talks, coordinated by Washington, took place in Paris and focused on reactivating the 1974 disengagement agreement and ensuring the withdrawal of Israeli forces to their positions before the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. Israel has entered the UN security zone following Assad's ouster and has repeatedly invaded and bombed Syrian territory, seeking a demilitarized zone in southern Syria. The United States is pressing both sides to reach an agreement that would end hostilities, given that the two countries have been technically at war since 1948. Syria views the resumption of negotiations as confirmation of its commitment to restoring its national rights. The head of Syrian intelligence, Hussein al-Salama, was also part of the Syrian delegation. Direct negotiations between Syria and Israel began after Assad's overthrow, with several meetings held since then. However, Israel's insistence on a demilitarized zone in southern Syria remains a significant obstacle to reaching an agreement.