Syrian, Israeli talks discuss reactivating 1974 Disengagement Agreement
Syria’s state news agency SANA cited a government source on Monday, 5 January, as saying that talks with the Israeli side in Paris are primarily focused on reactivating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, in a way that would ensure Israeli forces withdraw to positions held before the 8 December 2024 lines.
The source added that Syria’s delegation is headed by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, and includes General Intelligence Directorate chief Hussein al-Salama, and that the talks are being coordinated and mediated by the United States.
The government source said resuming negotiations reflects “Syria’s firm commitment to restoring its non-negotiable national rights.”
Israel’s Maariv newspaper, citing Israeli sources, reported that renewing talks on the security arrangement between Damascus and Tel Aviv aims to achieve stability, not a diplomatic breakthrough.
Maariv said negotiations will focus on security issues and border stabilization arrangements. It added that former Israeli ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter will head the Israeli delegation, joined by the Israeli prime minister’s military secretary, Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman, as well as senior representatives from Israel’s security establishment.
Quoting what it described as “informed” sources, Maariv said the team’s makeup is intended to “keep the talks on a professional track,” with close coordination with the US administration.
The talks are intended to take Israel’s security interests into account, to “achieve stability and reduce risks, not to reach a diplomatic breakthrough,” Maariv quoted “Israeli political” sources as saying.
Meeting in Paris
The US news site Axios reported on Sunday, 4 January, that senior Syrian and Israeli officials would meet on Monday in the French capital, Paris.
Axios, citing an Israeli official and another source familiar with the matter, said the meeting would address resuming negotiations over the security arrangement between the two sides.
It added that the meeting is being mediated and pushed forward by the US administration to reach an agreement that would help stabilize the security situation along the Syria-Israel border.
Axios noted that the Paris meeting could be a first step toward potential diplomatic normalization between the two sides in the future.
Israeli media outlets reported that Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani would head the Syrian delegation, in the presence of the US Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack.
They said the Israeli delegation would be led by Tel Aviv’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, instead of Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military adviser.
Leaks about the Syrian-Israeli meeting came just days after US President Donald Trump said Syria and Israel would reach an agreement, expressing readiness to do his utmost to make it happen.
During a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 29 December 2025, Trump said he was confident the Syrian and Israeli leaders would reach an agreement, according to Reuters. He added that he had reached an “understanding” with Netanyahu regarding Syria, without specifying its nature.
For his part, Netanyahu said Israel is keen to ensure peaceful borders with Syria, noting that it is “in Israel’s interest to establish these peaceful borders,” as he put it.
[Source: Enab Baladi English]
