Syria-Israel talks are a step in the right direction

This week, Syrian and Israeli officials resumed talks in Jordan, facilitated by the US, with the dual goals of halting Israeli attacks inside Syria and reigniting bilateral security negotiations. The developments, occurring at a pivotal moment as Damascus strives to rebuild its nation after a protracted civil war, mend its economy, and outline a new trajectory post-Bashar Al Assad, represent a welcome, albeit delicate, step forward.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani, who led the delegation in discussions with Israel, expressed to Reuters the presence of a historic chance for an agreement between the two nations, urging its timely utilization. These talks also carry significance for a Middle East grappling with various challenges, foremost among them being the US-Iran conflict and the ensuing energy and commodity crisis.

There are apprehensions that a new arena of conflict could emerge in the Levant between Israel and Turkey. Diplomacy between Syria and Israel commenced following the demise of the Assad regime in December 2024 and the formation of a fresh government in Damascus, aiming to reconcile the numerous disparities that exist between the two countries, including a century-old occupation of the Golan Heights, additional Israeli incursions into Syria, and Israeli security apprehensions.

However, the process hit a roadblock after the onset of the Iran war. Subsequently, last week, Israeli jets struck the Abu Al Duhur military airfield in Syria’s northern Idlib governorate, ostensibly on the pretext that Turkish soldiers were stationed there. Although no casualties were reported, the attack jeopardized the dialogue and reignited apprehensions of a potential Israeli-Turkish confrontation for dominance in Syria and supremacy in a region weakened by the decline of Iran.

Following President Ahmad Al Shara, Syria has shown measurable – albeit moderate – advancements in several areas. Israeli actions provoked a stern response from Syria's closest ally – the US. Tom Barrack, Washington's ambassador to Turkey and presidential envoy for Syria, lambasted the strike and suggested it might have been a political maneuver by Israel's government in the lead-up to the year's parliamentary election, emphasizing how domestic considerations can jeopardize regional stability.

For Washington, which collaborates with Ankara to aid Syria's stabilization, an unwarranted escalation serves neither party's interests. Concurrently, Syria confronts a myriad of issues, both externally and internally. The country grapples with internal tensions among its diverse ethnic and sectarian factions that have yet to be thoroughly resolved, while Damascus simultaneously battles a resurgent ISIS and maintains a guard against Assad loyalists and Iran-backed entities.

For Iran, which for decades treated Syria as a vassal state and a land corridor to its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, any indication of instability or power vacuum presents an opportunity to intervene once more. None of these developments serve Syria, the Levant, or the Middle East. Thus, it is within this context that the American initiative to establish a deconfliction mechanism involving Syria, Turkey, and Israel proves to be a constructive measure, as does the re-establishment of direct Syria-Israel negotiations this week.

It is worth noting that Syria and Israel have engaged in talks multiple times during various eras of Assad's rule, though these efforts have often been denied by Damascus. The new Syrian government's proactive approach is welcome and desperately needed. Under President Ahmad Al Shara, Syria has made measurable – although gradual – strides in numerous domains.

It has engaged with its Arab neighbors, notably Lebanon and Iraq – countries with which it has had significant differences in the past – to establish new avenues of cooperation encompassing drug trafficking countermeasures, prisoner exchanges, and economic integration. The country has also initiated the process of welcoming back millions of Syrian refugees and migrants who fled the war.

This presents a crucial moment for Syria's neighbors to stand by a nation and people striving to regain their footing.