Syria and Israel Hold Secret Security Talks

Israel and Syria have engaged in direct in-person talks in recent weeks, marking a significant shift in relations as both sides seek to reduce tensions and avoid conflict along their shared border, multiple sources told Reuters.

According to five individuals familiar with the matter, including regional and Western intelligence sources, Israeli and Syrian officials have held several rounds of meetings—some in Israeli-controlled territory. The talks are focused on security, particularly the Golan Heights and the southern province of Sweida.

The Syrian delegation is reportedly led by Ahmad al-Dalati, a senior security official recently appointed governor of Quneitra and now overseeing security in Sweida. Israel’s representatives have not been publicly identified, but sources confirmed their participation.

The meetings follow the December ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The United States has since shifted its Syria policy, with President Donald Trump meeting new Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh on May 14. That meeting reportedly encouraged both sides to explore mutual understandings.

Trump later stated that Sharaa showed openness to eventually normalizing relations with Israel—though Sharaa has only confirmed indirect talks and reiterated support for the 1974 ceasefire framework that established a U.N. buffer zone in the Golan.

Israeli airstrikes on Syria—once routine—have notably declined in recent weeks. Sources believe this lull and recent goodwill gestures from Damascus, including returning items belonging to Israeli spy Eli Cohen and detaining Palestinian Islamic Jihad members, signal Syria’s intent to assure Israel it poses no direct threat.

A Syrian letter to the U.S. State Department obtained by Reuters reportedly stated: “We will not allow Syria to become a source of threat to any party, including Israel.”