US has begun 'preliminary discussions' with Israel, Syria on security deal: Report

ISTANBUL

The US has begun "preliminary discussions" with Israel and Syria on a potential security agreement between the two countries, US and Israeli officials told Axios on Monday.

"We are having very soft preliminary discussions," said a senior US official.

Two senior Israeli officials said a deal remains possible but emphasized the lengthy timeline required, with one official stressing that a deal is "not around the corner."

The talks currently involve mid-level officials with no discussions yet of a leaders' summit, said a US official.

“The US favors a gradual process that would slowly build trust and improve relations between Israel and Syria,” the report said.

However, Israel is pressing for assurances that “any talks will ultimately lead to a full peace agreement and normalization,” said a senior Israeli official.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is aiming for phased agreements starting with a modernized version of the 1974 disengagement accord -- an agreement that establishes a zone of separation and calls for the disengagement of forces and the release of prisoners of war, said a senior Israeli official.

Israeli officials view the Israeli occupied buffer zone and Syrian territory that Israel occupies as primary negotiating leverage, saying withdrawal would only occur in exchange for complete peace.

Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer is currently in Washington and Israeli officials say Syria could be one of the topics he will discuss with senior US officials.

Bashar al-Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly a quarter century, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, 2024, marking the end of the Baath Party’s decades-long rule, which began in 1963.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces that ousted Assad, was declared president for a transitional period in late January.