Syria and Israel are on the verge of what has been dubbed as a ‘de-escalation’ deal, under which Israel will cease attacks on Syrian soil, while the interim government in Damascus will refrain from deploying heavy military equipment near the Israeli border.
According to a statement by US Special Envoy Tom Barak on the sidelines of the UNGA, this will constitute a first step towards a security deal that the two sides are currently negotiating.
Syria and Israel have been engaged in consultations over the past few days, as Damascus hopes the agreement will secure the end of Israeli air raids and the withdrawal of Israeli troops that have invaded southern Syria.
US President Donald Trump was aiming to announce a deal this week, but not enough progress has been made and the process has been delayed due to the Ros Ashana Jewish New Year this week.
‘I think all sides are approaching this in good faith’, Barak added.
The two countries have been at odds for decades and following the Assad overthrow last December, territorial disputes and deep rooted distrust remain firmly attached to their agendas.
Tel Aviv has repeatedly condemned the new Islamist interim administration of Syria, noting the jihadist connections of President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Reports suggest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has exerted pressure on Washington to keep the country weak and decentralised.
Following months of violations in the two countries demilitarised zone, Israel withdrew from the 1974 ceasefire deal on December 8, 2024, as Assad was being overthrown by rebel forces. It deployed infantry in many areas on the outskirts of Damascus, reaching just 20km from the Syrian capital.
According to al-Sharaa, Israel has this year carried out more than 1,000 strikes on Syria and conducted at least 400 ground incursions.
Syria has been hit more than 1,000 times and incurred 400 land raids.
Following talks with Barak, al-Sharaa expressed concern that Israel was delaying the talks.
“We are scared of Israel, not the other way around,” he told an event organised by the Middle East Institute in New York.