Syria foreign minister says door open for diplomacy with Israel

Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani indicated that security negotiations with Israel are poised to resume, despite ongoing mistrust between the two nations. Speaking to Reuters from Damascus, Shaibani expressed hope that the door for diplomacy would soon be open. Days prior, Israel had targeted a Syrian airbase, an incident that led to the suspension of contact between the two countries.

Shaibani emphasized that halting Israeli attacks on Syrian soil is Syria's top priority, and he stressed the need for confidence-building measures. The United States has been striving to broker a security deal between Israel and Syria's government for over a year, but efforts have been thwarted by Israel's military actions in Syria, which allege threats to Israeli security.

Shaibani noted that negotiations had been on hold since the onset of the Iran war, but he anticipates their revival. He reiterated that Syria harbors no trust in Israel at present. The Israeli Prime Minister's office was unresponsive to inquiries. Shaibani asserted that Israel's attempts to bolster security through force have been unsuccessful everywhere.

He concluded by stating that he remains cautiously optimistic about the prospects for resuming talks, although he cautioned that predicting Israel's behavior remains challenging. Syria, however, remains hopeful about establishing stable relationships with its neighbors through diplomacy and regional stability.