What’s happened: Israel and Syria have reached an agreement on establishing a “de-escalation” mechanism for future dialogue following two days of US-brokered negotiations in Paris.

• According to a joint statement released by the US State Department, Israel and Syria have now established a “joint fusion mechanism and communication cell” which will “facilitate immediate and ongoing coordination on their intelligence sharing, military de-escalation, diplomatic engagement and commercial opportunities under the supervision of the United States.”
• The US statement confirmed that talks had “centred on respect for Syria sovereignty and stability, Israel’s security and prosperity for both countries,” while the mechanism it established is intended to allow for a more rapid resolution of disputes between them.
• The talks in Paris were facilitated by the US mediators Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, and Thomas Barrack. Israel was represented by Acting National Security Council Director Gil Reich, the prime minister’s military secretary, Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman (and designated next head of Mossad), and Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter. Attending the talks for Syria were Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Syrian General Intelligence Service Director Hussein al-Salama.

Context: The announcement follows last week’s summit between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu in Mar-a-Lago. In his public remarks President Trump had stated that he hope that Prime Minister Netanyahu would “get along with Syria”, while praising President al-Sharaa that he, “is working very hard to do a good job.”  

• The renewal of this track and the formulation of the mechanism followed a hiatus of two months, is viewed as part of broader US efforts to stabilise the region and reduce conflict.  
• The Syrian government has consistently opposed Israel’s interventions in the south of the country, along with its presence in a buffer zone following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 in which it has subsequently established 10 military outposts.
• Israel has also conducted numerous counter-terrorism operations in southern Syria in order to disrupt and dismantle Iranian sponsored militias and weapons smuggling networks, as well as threats of Sunni affiliated terror cells including ISIS. These operations have been heavily criticised by the Syrian government. The communiqué does not include a commitment by Israel to halt these operations.
• Despite this breakthrough, Israel and Syria remain deeply divided over several substantive issues. The Syrians have demanded an Israeli withdrawal from the areas in southern Syria in which the IDF has been operating since December 2024 with Syrian officials emphasising that any future agreement would have to include a commitment to full Syrian sovereignty over these areas.
• Israel would consider removing most of the military outposts established a year ago, but is insisting on remaining on the strategic high points on Mount Hermon.
• Israel also has red lines that they see as non-negotiable. Israel will not leave the Golan Heights. It extended Israeli sovereignty to the Israeli side of the Golan in 1981. President Trump recognised Israeli sovereignty on the Golan in 2019 during his first term in office.
• It is also understood that part of the conversation explored the possibility of updating the 1974 disengagement agreement, which was signed after the Yom Kippur War and created a UN-supervised buffer zone between Israel and Syria. In previous negotiations, Syria had indicated that it was willing to engage with Israel on the same principles as that agreement.
• Israel is insisting that any future agreement would include clear security guarantees, including the demilitarisation of sensitive areas in southwestern Syria to prevent the entrenchment of hostile groups close to its border.          
• Under President al-Sharaa, Syria has joined the US-led coalition to combat ISIS, and proactively worked to expel Iranian and Iranian-linked militias including Hezbollah from the country. So far these actions have done little to assuage Israeli security concerns about Syrian territory being used to launch attacks.
• Following Hamas’s 7th October attacks in 2023, Prime Minister Netanyahu has frequently reinforced how Israel cannot allow terrorists to exist and operate on any of its borders, and will likely require US assured security guarantees from Syria in exchange for a withdrawal.
• While this agreement falls short of normalisation, it nevertheless marks a milestone in bilateral relations which were some of the most mutually antagonistic in the Israeli-Arab Conflict. Significantly this new announcement does indicate Syrian willingness to explore commercial and diplomatic engagement with Israel.
• Previous talks had stalled in October 2025, reportedly over Israel’s demands that a humanitarian corridor be established to allow aid provision to the predominantly Druze area of Sweida in southern Syria. While Syria sees this as a domestic issue, Israel has a strong affiliation and a commitment to the Israeli Druze community to protect their brethren.  
• Hundreds of Syrian Druze were killed by Sunni Bedouin and government forces during ethnic clashes in the summer of 2025. Israel subsequently launched a series of airstrikes to protect the areas Druze community, and remains committed to doing so.
• An Israeli readout following yesterday’s meeting reaffirmed this, confirming that the talks would continue “to advance shared objectives and to safeguard the security of the Druze minority in Syria.”

Looking ahead: Further talks are expected to discuss the remaining areas of disagreement and focus on confidence building measures.  

• The two sides agreed that the mechanism will initially be based on telephone communication aimed at real time conflict resolution and to avert misunderstandings on the ground. At a later stage both countries have expressed interest in face-to-face meetings in third countries, though no date or venue for a meeting of that kind have been set.
• At this point the talks are focused on security, and not a diplomatic process, but could eventually lead to normalised relations or a comprehensive peace agreement.

What’s happened: Addressing the Jerusalem Post Washington conference on Wednesday, US Ambassador to Turkey and Trump’s envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack spoke with cautious optimism over the prospects of reaching a security and border arrangement between Israel and Syria.

• He outlined the scope of a future arrangement as “a return to a variation of the 1974 disengagement structure, updated with modern mechanisms, is entirely feasible…zones of limited weaponry, airspace arrangements, and verifiable layers of demilitarisation.”
• He recognised, “After October 7, Israel doesn’t trust anyone…That’s why we’ve offered to serve as a peacekeeping force. Verification replaces trust.”
• According to Arab media reports the sides have almost reached an agreement that could include the deployment of a US led international force that would supervise the agreement.
• Speaking at the same conference, Foreign Minister Saar struck a less optimistic tone suggesting that “the gaps between us and Syria are growing.”
• Earlier this week an IDF patrol in the Syrian village of Khan Arnabeh, close to the border was met by local residents who threw stones at Israeli troops. Soldiers initially fired warning shots into the air and later targeted the legs of two protest leaders, in self-defence and in order to prevent further escalation. Following this, social media captured the arrival of Syrian internal security forces arriving in heavily armed pick-up trucks. There was no direct confrontation between the sides on this occasion.

Context: Reaching an Israel – Syria security arrangement, or non-aggression pact is high on the agenda when President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu meet later this month.  

• Following a year since the fall of Assad from power, the new president al-Sharaa has –despite his Jihadi background – made a positive impression on President Trump, including a warm meeting in the White House last month.
• Al-Sharaa becoming the first Syrian leader to meet an American president in Washington since Syria’s independence in 1946. As part of the visit, Trump announced a six-month extension of the sanctions freeze on Syria, praised Al-Sharaa, and described him as a “young and attractive man, tough, with a very strong background.”
• Over the last few months al-Sharaa’s foreign minister, al-Shaibani has held negotiations with Ron Dermer, who until recently served as strategic affairs minister. Israel is keen reach a new security arrangement but is insisting on three principles:
  • The demilitarisation of southern Syria.
  • The establishment of a humanitarian corridor for the Druze in the As-Suwayda area, in order to ensure the free flow of humanitarian aid.
  • Maintaining their presence on the highest peak of Mount Hermon, on the Syrian side of the 1974 armistice line.
• Israel currently holds several outposts on the Syrian side of the armistice line. It is thought that if given an appropriate security guarantees for demilitarisation, Israel would agree to remove these outposts and return to the 1974 line, with the exception of the Mount Hermon post which is seen as strategically significant.
• Earlier this week, IDF Chief of Staff Zamir held a special meeting to prepare for a possible surprise attack from across the Syrian border. IDF prepared for a scenario whereby dozens of pick-up trucks, mounted with machine guns, and heavily armed terrorists would swarm the Israeli border at several points. In anticipation Israel has dug trenches to serve as an obstacle, and has troops deployed in the area. Nevertheless, there remains concern over the prospect of another October 7 style attack.
• This is the context of the IDF operation the troops carried out recently in Beit Jinn.  The goal was to engage with the terrorists before they attack and to keep them on the defensive.
• However, Israel is also showing some restraint. Following that incident, Israel was preparing further strikes on terror targets but called them off to avoid a further escalation and keep the prospect of a US mediated agreement alive.
• Israel also has ongoing concerns that the new Syrian regime is not fully in control of its territory. This includes independent Jihadist organisations operating in the south, as well as the residue of Iranian backed groups that continue to smuggle weapons from Syria into Lebanon.

Looking ahead: US Special Envoy Barrack is scheduled to visit Israel next week.

• He will meet with Benjamin Netanyahu and is expected to apologise for his recent comment when he said, “Israel can claim that it’s a democracy, but in this region, really what has worked the best, whether you like it or don’t like it, is a benevolent monarchy.”
• Israel has accused Barrack of advancing Turkish interests in the region, including encouraging President Trump to allow Turkey to rejoin the F-35 programme, (after it was removed in 2019 when they procured S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia).
• Trump reportedly instructed Barrack to visit Israel and smooth their relations ahead of their meeting.

What’s happened: Following a meeting in Damascus between Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and US Special Envoy Tom Barrack, US President Trump posted on Truth Social that the US was “very satisfied” with the progress made in Syria.

• Trump continued to say that the US is “doing everything” to ensure such progress continues. Notably, the post also called on Israel to “maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria,” and “that nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria’s evolution into a prosperous state.”
• Trump added that the Syrian President, “is working diligently to make sure good things happen, and that both Syria and Israel will have a long and prosperous relationship together.”  
• Shortly after the post President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu held an hour-long phone conversation, which stressed the importance of disarming Hamas and demilitarising the Gaza Strip, as well as potential expansions to peace agreements.

Context: The meeting between Al-Sharaa and Special Envoy Barrack came following an IDF operation on 28 November in southern Syria.

• Israeli security intelligence had indicated that multiple terrorist elements had been amassing in the village of Beit Jann, around 10km from the Israeli border, and were planning an attack against Israel.
• In a pre-emptive operation, the IDF raided the village, arrested three operatives from the Lebanese-based Jamaa al-Islamiya organisation.
• The troops were then caught in ambush, leading to an intense exchange of fire, with Syrian sources reporting around 15 people killed, the majority (if not all) believed to be armed men.
• The operation also resulted in the injury of six IDF soldiers, three seriously who were airlifted to hospital in Israel.
• Jamaa al-Islamiya is a Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood founded in the 1980s which has operated against Israel along with other terrorist organisations such as Hamas and Hezbollah.
• Israeli intervention in Syria is not new, following the ousting of Assad in 2024 the IDF has maintained a security buffer zone.
• The goal is to avert the establishment of terrorist infrastructure in the area, protect the Syrian Druze and to pre-empt any possible plans by terrorists to infiltrate Israeli territory, including arrested suspects and confiscated weapons.
• These recent Israeli operations have maintained Israel’s security buffer zone with Syria, but have also brought criticism from hostile regional actors as well as from allies including the US. Reports suggest that US officials expressed frustration to Israel regarding the escalations in Syria.
• Overall, since October 7, the Syrian front has been the least complex front from Israel’s perspective. There is concern that the events of Bet Jann might signal a change whereby Israeli forces may encounter more resistance to their presence.
• The incident occurred on the day Syrians marked the first anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime, which prompted the marches in solidarity with the regime to become angry protests against the ‘Israeli occupation.’ While Israel is targeting its operations against terrorist factions like Jamaa al-Islamiya, they are seeking to avoid direct confrontations with al-Sharaa’s forces, particularly now he appears to have Trump’s support.
• In the background it is understood Israel and Syria have been engaged in discreet diplomatic talks over the last few months in an effort to formulate security understandings. The talks are thought to be based on the 1974 disengagement agreement following the Yom Kippur War. The main difference is Israel’s desire to hold onto the strategic high point on the Hermon mountain range.
• Israel is concerned not only by the Jihadi cells that operate in southern Syria, but also the growing influence of  Turkey and their support for al-Sharaa. In addition, although no longer in coordination with the regime, Iran and Hezbollah continue their efforts to smuggle weapons from Syria into Lebanon. All of this underlines why Israel is keen to maintain its security zone close to the border.
• In July 2025, the IDF intervened against targeted attacks by al-Sharaa’s Syrian forces against the Druze in Suwayda.
• Syrian forces entered Suwayda after violent clashes between Druze and Bedouin members, leading to Syrian military intervention. However, Syrian forces reportedly joined the Bedouin fighters, and these clashes resulted in the deaths of around 1,100 people.
• A tense and fragile ceasefire agreement was reached following Israeli intervention and humanitarian aid delivered to the Druze community.  

Looking ahead: Trump invited Netanyahu back to the White House in the near future, for what will be his fifth visit since Trump returned to office.

• The meeting is likely to centre around a range of regional issues, including Gaza, Syria, Lebanon and Iran.
• On Syria, Israel will be seeking a commitment for a demilitarised southern Syria, with US understanding the need for Israeli freedom of action to counter security threats (similar to the understandings reached in Lebanon).
• Israel is expected to continue to highlight their commitment to the Druze community in Syria.

What’s happened: Syrian media reported that four Israeli helicopters delivered humanitarian aid to the As-Suwayda area on Sunday night. 

• Meanwhile other Arab media sources reported renewed exchanges of fire between Bedouin clans and the Druze.
• According to the UK based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the death toll in Jabal Druze has now risen to 1,120, including 530 residents of As-Suwayda, most of whom are Druze. According to that report, nearly 200 Druze civilians were executed by regime forces, despite the fact that they had not taken part in the fighting. Roughly 370 regime troops and Bedouin clansmen were also reportedly killed including fifteen people who were said to have been eliminated in IDF strikes. 

Context: Israeli attention remains focused on events in southern Syria and Gaza.     

• During a tour of the Gaza Strip on Sunday IDF Chief of Staff Zamir told troops, “You are operating with courage in a war that is as just as can be… The events in Syria, the massacre of the Druze in As-Suwayda, prove once again that in the Middle East, those who cannot defend themselves cannot live in security. Terrorist organisations and jihadist elements pose a threat in every arena, and we must confront them.”
• Despite reports on Thursday night that a ceasefire that had been achieved in southern Syria, in practice the fighting continued over the weekend. 
• Regime forces did withdraw, but seem to have been replaced by Bedouin tribesmen, who attacked Druze villages and the city of As-Suwayda. As a result, Israel changed its approach and asked the regime to send troops back into the area to separate  the Druze and the Bedouin. 
• Complicating matters is an account from a Syrian soldier who was captured by Druze forces who confessed on camera that regime forces had been instructed to disguise themselves as Bedouin militiamen and to murder Druze civilians, including women and children. The captured soldier said that after massacring the Druze, Syrian military officials had planned to proceed to liberate Jerusalem from the Zionist entity.
• Israel has three main concerns; foremost is the welfare of the Druze community, which has continued to be attacked and killed including horrific abuse and executions captured on social media.  
• Second, preventing the presence of armed Jihadi forces entrenching themselves close to the Israeli border. This has been achieved so far by maintaining an Israeli military presence in the border area.
• Third, in the context of the rallying call for Jihadis to flock to southern Syria, there is concern that this could spillover and jeopardise Jordan too. 
• The real intentions of the Syrian regime remain under debate within Israeli policy circles. One version is that the regime is having difficulty enforcing its rule in the south. Another is that his protestations are a deception and the regime has an interest in perpetuating ethnic and religious violence. 

What’s happened: Fighting in Syria continued on Wednesday, including clashes between Druze and Sunni militias in southwestern Syria, as well as Israeli air strikes on Syrian regime fighters and military headquarters in Damascus.

• US Secretary of State (and National Security Adviser) Rubio called on all sides to de-escalate: “We’ve been engaged with them all morning long and all night long — with both sides — and we think we’re on our way toward a real de-escalation and then hopefully get back on track and helping Syria build the country and arriving at a situation in the Middle East that is far more stable.” Regarding Israel’s air strikes in Syria, he said, “We’re very concerned about it. We want it to stop.”
• A ceasefire in the fighting in the Druze-majority province of As-Suwayda appears to have gone into effect this morning. 
• Government forces have withdrawn from the province, in line with Syrian President al-Sharaa’s announcement in a televised address last night that security in the province would be the responsibility of local factions and religious elders “based on the supreme national interest.”
• Local Druze forces, not the Syrian army, are tasked with manning checkpoints in the province. Also in his speech, al-Sharaa denounced the Israeli intervention, accusing Israel of deliberately sowing division in Syria and “working to turn our sacred land into a scene of chaos.” Al-Sharaa praised the involvement of Turkey and Arab states in mediating a ceasefire agreement.
• The Israeli operation yesterday in Syria was not just focussed on As-Suwayda, but also targeted military headquarters in Damascus, symbolically striking the entrance. This strike was captured live on several Arab media broadcasts. 
• As the violence unfolded yesterday, activists from Israel’s Druze community staged protests demanding more Israeli action to prevent the massacre of their coreligionists in Syria. Hundreds crossed the border into Syrian territory, ostensibly to help fight the Sunni forces attacking Syrian Druze.
• Prime Minister Netanyahu urged Israeli Druze not to cross the border, where they could be targets for kidnapping. “We are acting to save our Druze brothers and to eliminate the gangs of the regime,” he said. “And now I have a single request of you: You are Israeli citizens. Do not cross the border. You are risking your lives.” 
• Writing in Yediot Ahronot, veteran defence correspondent Ron Ben-Yishai concludes that this week’s events pose three tests for Israel going forward, “The first is whether Israel will meet its commitment to the Israeli Druze community, and act decisively to prevent the massacre of their Druze brethren in the As-Suwayda area. The second is whether Israel will enact its new forward defensive doctrine on the Golan Heights, which was designed to prevent what happened on October 7 in the Gaza periphery—an invasion by Muslim jihadists—from happening there… The third test is the nature of our direct relations with the new regime in Damascus. Will we be able, on the one hand, to deter that regime against taking actions that run afoul of Israeli interests and policies and, on the other, to achieve a non-belligerence agreement and security arrangements with it, as US President Donald Trump wishes?”

Context: The clashes which erupted on Sunday mark the third time since the new regime came into power last December that a major outbreak of violence has been directed at a Syrian minority by Sunni forces aligned with the regime.

• In March, 1600 people, mostly from the Alawite sect, were killed in western Syria. In May, two days of violence outside Damascus saw dozens killed, mostly from the Druze. In the violence that erupted this week in As-Suwayda, at least 300 deaths have been reported, also mostly from the Druze community.