New Syrian-Israeli talks to discuss the “security agreement”

High-ranking Syrian and Israeli officials will meet in Paris on Monday to resume negotiations on a new security agreement, according to an Israeli official and another informed source told the American news site Axios.

The talks are expected to last two days, with the participation of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani, along with a group of Israeli negotiators.

The administration of US President Donald Trump is pressuring both Israel and Syria to reach an agreement that would stabilize the security situation on their borders, and may be the first step towards normalizing diplomatic relations in the future.

These efforts are being led by Trump’s envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, who will mediate in the new round of negotiations, which will be the fifth but the first in nearly two months.

The talks were halted due to major differences between the two parties, and also due to the resignation of chief Israeli negotiator Ron Dermer.

The negotiations aim to reach a security agreement, which includes the disarmament of southern Syria and Israel’s withdrawal from the Syrian areas it occupied after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, in December 2024.

The resumption of talks was a direct result of a request from Trump to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during their meeting Monday in Florida, according to what an informed source told Axios.

Trump told Netanyahu that “negotiations must continue to reach an agreement soon,” which the Israeli Prime Minister agreed to, but he stressed the need for any agreement to maintain Israeli red lines, according to the site’s source.

Trump said after his meeting with Netanyahu: “We have an understanding regarding Syria. I am sure that Israel and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa will reach an agreement. I will do my best to achieve that and I believe they will.”

Netanyahu also said after the meeting that “it is in Israel’s interest to maintain peaceful borders with Syria and protect the Druze minority in the country.”

Before the Paris meeting, Netanyahu appointed a new negotiating team headed by the Israeli ambassador to Washington, who is considered one of his personal close associates.

His military advisor, Roman Goffman, who has been nominated to lead the Mossad intelligence agency, and his acting advisor for national security affairs, Gil Reich, are also expected to participate.