Recently, American envoy Tom Barrack stated that Syria and Israel are approaching a “de-escalation agreement.” If the agreement goes through, Israel will cease airstrikes within Syrian territory, while Syria has promised not to mobilize any machinery or heavy equipment near the Israeli border as the first step towards a broader security framework.
Barrack, during an interview on Tuesday (September 23) at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, mentioned that the United States is mediating the negotiations. Although President Trump had hoped to announce the results within the week, due to slow progress and the coinciding Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah), the negotiation pace has slowed. However, he emphasized that “all parties are pushing the negotiations in good faith.”
Israel and Syria have been historical enemies in the Middle East for decades. Despite the ousting of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a rebel offensive last December, the relationship between the two countries remains tense due to territorial disputes and lack of trust.
On the day of al-Assad’s regime collapse on December 8 last year, Israel announced abandoning the 1974 ceasefire agreement and pushed its troops 20 kilometers south into Damascus while intensifying strikes on military targets in Syria.
The current Syrian President, Ahmed al-Sharaa, was a significant opposition armed leader in the fight against al-Assad and was also a wanted leader of the “Al-Qaeda” organization by the United States.
On September 17, at Damascus, al-Sharaa stated to the media that negotiations for a security agreement with Israel are expected to make progress in the “coming days.” Syria’s core demands include ending Israeli airstrikes and pushing for Israeli troops to withdraw from the southern parts of Syria they have advanced into since December 8 last year.
Al-Sharaa disclosed that negotiations in July came close to reaching an agreement before the break due to conflicts erupting in the Suwaida province. Local Druze militias clashed with Bedouin tribes, and Syrian military intervention to quell the unrest resulted in more violence, including alleged executions. Following this, Israel conducted airstrikes near Suwaida, the Defense Ministry, and the Presidential Palace.
Al-Sharaa described the Israeli strikes on the presidential palace as an “act of war,” but he emphasized that Syria has not taken military retaliation to maintain the negotiation process. He also denied being pressured by the United States, stating that the US “plays the role of mediator, not one forcing concessions.”
After meeting with al-Sharaa in Riyadh in May, President Trump had ordered the easing of most sanctions on Syria, but the legal basis of the “Caesar Act” has yet to be repealed by Congress.
During the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 22, Al-Sharaa once again urged Washington to formally repeal the “Caesar Act.” On the same day, he met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss counterterrorism cooperation, finding missing Americans, and the importance of negotiations for regional security. However, Rubio did not commit to fully lifting the remaining sanctions.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham openly stated that if Syria reaches a security agreement with Israel and joins the anti-Islamic State (ISIS) coalition, he will support the removal of sanctions.
(Reference: Reuters)