Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and intelligence chief Hussein Salameh met August 19 with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer in Paris to discuss security and humanitarian conditions in southern Syria.. The discussions, mediated by the US, centered on reducing tensions, monitoring a fragile ceasefire in Suwayda governorate, and reactivating the 1974 disengagement agreement.
The delegations reaffirmed commitments to Syria’s territorial unity and rejected what they described as attempts to divide the country. The talks also addressed humanitarian needs, with both sides agreeing to expand aid for residents of Suwayda and Bedouin communities facing deteriorating living conditions. A government source told Al-Ikhbariya that the meeting ended with an emphasis on “working toward de-escalation in the south, to prevent the region from descending into open confrontation.”
US Role and Regional Mediation
Washington has played a key role in mediating between the two sides. August 12, Shaibani met in Amman with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and US Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack. That meeting produced an agreement to form a Syrian-Jordanian-American working group to support ceasefire efforts in Suwayda and explore a broader resolution to the conflict.
In Paris, US envoy Barrack also held separate discussions with Muwaffaq Tarif, spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel. Tarif wrote on his official Facebook page that he pressed for a sustainable ceasefire, the release of kidnapped civilians, and a safe land corridor for aid from Israel to Suwayda. He said Barrack agreed on the urgency of an immediate arrangement covering those issues.
Reports of Agreement Denied
While diplomatic activity has accelerated, a Syrian Foreign Ministry source denied reports circulating in regional media that Damascus and Tel Aviv are preparing to sign a US-backed security agreement on September 25. The source told Levant 24 that such claims were “false,” though he confirmed that discussions have focused on practical steps to stabilize southern Syria.
Diplomatic sources told Agence France-Presse that earlier rounds of talks between Syrian and Israeli officials were also held in Paris in late July, with additional secret meetings reported in Baku. As both governments face pressure to contain the crisis, officials described the latest round of talks as part of a cautious effort to avert wider conflict while addressing urgent humanitarian needs.
