NextFin news, Damascus — On Saturday, September 13, 2025, Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa confirmed that his government is in direct negotiations with Israel over a potential security agreement. The discussions are taking place in Damascus, Syria's capital.
The negotiations focus on restoring the status quo prior to December 8, 2024, and reaffirming Syria's commitment to the 1974 disengagement agreement. A key element of the talks is the possible withdrawal of Israeli forces from the buffer zone near the Golan Heights, a region long contested between the two countries.
These talks follow the December 2024 overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in an Islamist-led offensive. Since then, Israeli troops have entered the United Nations-monitored buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces, and Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes and ground operations in southern Syria. The new Syrian authorities have not responded militarily to these actions.
President al-Sharaa stated that while normalization of relations is not currently on the agenda, the negotiations aim to de-escalate tensions and establish mutual security guarantees between Syria and Israel.
The talks represent a rare direct engagement between the two countries, which have been in a state of conflict for decades. The discussions are ongoing, with no final agreement announced as of Saturday.
Sources: Famagusta Gazette, The Jerusalem Post, blue News, Yahoo News.
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