Israel, Syria to Resume U.S.-Mediated Talks as Trump Presses for Security Deal

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – Senior Israeli and Syrian officials are set to resume high-level negotiations this week in talks mediated by the United States, marking a renewed diplomatic push after months of stalled progress, according to reports by i24NEWS and Axios.

The discussions will take place Monday and Tuesday in Washington and Paris, constituting the fifth round of talks between the two sides and the first in nearly two months. The meetings are being mediated by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, who is also Washington’s ambassador to Turkey.

Israel’s delegation will be led by U.S. Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, alongside Military Secretary Maj. Gen. Roman Goffman and acting National Security Adviser Gil Reich. Syria will be represented by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.

The renewed talks follow a request by U.S. President Donald Trump, who urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to restart negotiations during their meeting last week at Mar-a-Lago. Trump has expressed strong interest in seeing a diplomatic accord reached, though Israeli officials say Netanyahu has insisted any deal must preserve Israel’s security red lines along its northern frontier.

According to i24NEWS, earlier rounds of talks made quiet progress, particularly on security coordination and de-escalation mechanisms. However, officials on both sides caution that the current meetings are exploratory and aimed at setting frameworks rather than finalizing agreements.

The negotiations gained urgency after Israel moved forces into parts of southern Syria following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024. Israel said the move was necessary to prevent terror groups from exploiting the security vacuum and declared the 1974 disengagement agreement temporarily void. IDF forces have since operated up to 15 kilometers inside Syrian territory to seize weapons Israel says could threaten its security.

Previous optimism for a deal faded in the fall after talks stalled over Israel’s demand for a humanitarian corridor into Syria’s Sweida province, where sectarian violence against the Druze community has killed hundreds. Syrian officials rejected the proposal, citing sovereignty concerns. Later reports suggested Israel expanded its demands to include full diplomatic relations—an idea Damascus has said is not currently feasible.

Trump has since warned Israel against destabilizing Syria’s new leadership and has voiced satisfaction with the country’s direction under President Ahmad al-Sharaa, whose forces ousted Assad.

Officials say further consultations are expected in the coming weeks to assess whether the renewed talks can break the deadlock and lead to a viable security arrangement between Israel and Syria.

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