A rare meeting took place in Paris on August 19 between Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and an Israeli delegation, marking an unexpected step in efforts to normalise relations between the two long-time adversaries. The direct talks were brokered by the United States, which has been pushing for stability across the region under President Donald Trump’s vision of a “prosperous Middle East” that includes a Syria at peace with its neighbours, Israel among them.
Discussions centred on de-escalating tensions and reaffirming the 1974 ceasefire agreement, which created a demilitarised buffer zone between Israeli and Syrian forces under UN supervision. Syria’s state news agency SANA reported that the Paris meeting had produced “understandings that support stability in the region” and had included discussion of non-interference in Syrian domestic affairs. While Damascus confirmed the meeting, breaking with its past practice of acknowledging only indirect talks, Israel remained silent. Reports suggest that Al-Shibani had already met Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Azerbaijan in July and again in Paris earlier in August.
The diplomatic engagement comes in the wake of dramatic changes inside Syria. In December 2024, President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown after a rebel offensive led by Islamist factions. His fall created a power vacuum in which Israeli forces seized control of the UN-patrolled buffer zone and began launching airstrikes on Syrian military sites, with the aim of preventing hostile groups from entrenching themselves near its borders. Israel has been wary of Syria’s new government, now led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander. Although Sharaa has pledged to rebuild the country, his short tenure has been marred by sectarian violence, raising fears in Israel that Iranian-backed militias or extremist groups could gain influence along the frontier.
One trigger for Israel’s heightened military involvement was the outbreak of violence in southern Sweida province last month. The clashes pitted Bedouin clans, government forces, and armed Druze groups against one another. Allegations that Syrian troops killed Druze civilians and disrespected religious leaders provoked strong reactions. Israel responded with airstrikes, including a strike on the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Damascus, declaring it was acting to protect the Druze community. The Druze are a minority with strong ties to Israel, where many serve in the military. Following these strikes, a truce mediated by the United States, Turkey, and Arab states calmed most of the fighting.
Yet tensions remain acute. Syrian government forces have surrounded Sweida city, creating what local Druze describe as a siege. Supplies are scarce, and humanitarian aid has been blocked. The United States envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, met with Sheikh Moafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of Israel’s Druze, to hear demands for an end to the blockade, the release of kidnapped Druze, and international guarantees of their safety. Historically wary of Israel, many Syrian Druze have begun seeking its protection. There have been instances of some of them waving Israeli flags during demonstrations, demanding self-determination, much to the chagrin of other Syrians.
Syria and Israel have technically been at war since 1948. Israel captured the Golan Heights during the 1967 Middle East War and annexed it in 1981, a move recognised only by Washington. Despite periodic calls for restoring the 1974 disengagement line, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has made clear that the Golan will remain part of Israel in any future settlement, a position Syria rejects as premature.
Within Syria, President Sharaa has called for national reunification through integration rather than force. He has appealed to separatist groups, particularly in Sweida, while also seeking to bring the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces under the authority of the defence ministry. His interim administration has created a committee to investigate the recent violence against Druze civilians, although scepticism remains about its effectiveness.
The Paris talks, therefore, mark a tentative step towards dialogue, but it happened in an atmosphere of deep mistrust. Israel fears the rise of extremist groups in Syria’s new order, while Damascus resents foreign interference. Both sides face pressures from minority groups and international actors. The meeting, however, signals a rare opening in a relationship defined by decades of conflict.
