Syria’s foreign minister says door open for diplomacy with Israel

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani has stated that the door for diplomacy with Israel is open, urging the nation to take advantage of a "historic opportunity". In an interview with Reuters, published on Sunday, al-Shaibani expressed his expectations for the talks over a security agreement that would lead to Israel's withdrawal from Syrian territory to resume soon.

He mentioned that the negotiations had been halted at the start of the US-Israel war on Iran, and no specific date has been set for their resumption. Al-Shaibani emphasized that Damascus's primary concern is to prevent Israeli attacks, stressing the need for confidence-building measures in this direction. The United States has been attempting to broker a security deal between Israel and the government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a new ally of the U.S. in the Middle East, for over a year.

However, an agreement has eluded them as Israel has sent troops into Syrian territory and attacked government assets, claiming threats to its security. Al-Shaibani stated that while they believe there should be contact with Israel, a party constantly threatening Syria's security, if this contact does not yield results, they do not require it.

Al-Shaibani added that they do not currently trust Israel. The Israeli prime minister's office declined to comment on the matter. Al-Sharaa has asserted that Syria poses no threat to other countries and is focused on rebuilding after 14 years of civil war.