Syrian and Israeli officials are scheduled to resume U.S.-mediated negotiations in Paris this week, marking a renewed effort to establish a security agreement following a year of heightened friction. The talks, confirmed by a Syrian official on Monday, aim to stabilize the volatile southern frontier and address the long-standing dispute over the strategic buffer zone between the two nations.
The Syrian delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and Hussein Salameh, the head of the General Intelligence Directorate. Syria’s primary objective is the reactivation of the 1974 disengagement agreement, which established a United Nations-monitored buffer zone. Damascus is specifically seeking the withdrawal of Israeli forces from areas seized in December 2024, following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad administration.
The geopolitical landscape shifted dramatically just over a year ago when a lightning offensive led by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa ousted the decades-long Assad regime. While Al-Sharaa has publicly stated he has no desire for military conflict with Israel, Jerusalem remains cautious regarding the new Islamist-led leadership in Damascus. Citing security concerns and the need to clear out militant remnants, the Israeli military has maintained control of the buffer zone and conducted numerous airstrikes against military facilities in southern Syria.
In the upcoming discussions, Damascus will advocate for a return to the pre-December 2024 territorial lines. The proposed framework focuses on a reciprocal security arrangement intended to guarantee Syrian sovereignty while preventing external interference in the country’s domestic affairs.
Israeli officials have not yet released a formal statement regarding the resumption of talks, and a spokesperson for U.S. envoy Tom Barrack declined to comment. The Paris meetings represent the first high-level attempt to break the diplomatic impasse since negotiations stalled late last year.
