Israel and Syria agree on mechanism to share intel, seek economic ties

Israel and Syria on Tuesday agreed during the second day of talks in Paris to create a mechanism that will facilitate de-escalation, diplomacy and commercial opportunities between the two countries, according to a joint statement from the two countries and the US that was released by Washington.

The talks that began on Monday, the first in nearly two months, resulted in the creation of a “joint fusion mechanism” — a “dedicated communication cell” meant to “facilitate immediate and ongoing coordination on their intelligence sharing, military de-escalation, diplomatic engagement and commercial opportunities under the supervision of the United States,” the statement said.

The mechanism will also serve as a means of rapidly resolving disputes.

The talks, according to the statement, “centered on respect for Syria’s sovereignty and stability, Israel’s security, and prosperity for both countries,” and both Syria and Israel reaffirmed “their commitment to strive toward achieving lasting security and stability arrangements for both countries.”

“The United States commends these positive steps and remains committed to supporting the implementation of these understandings, as part of broader efforts to achieve enduring peace in the Middle East,” the statement said. “When sovereign nations cooperate in a respectful and productive way, prosperity will be unleashed.”

According to the three countries, the joint statement “reflects the spirit of today’s great meeting and the Sides’ determination to turn a new page in their relations for the benefit of future generations.”

The talks are the third round between the two enemy states held in Paris. France itself was not set to participate.

A senior Israeli official earlier told The Times of Israel that the talks in Paris were “good and important.”

The sides “agreed for a working group to meet on a frequent and ongoing basis,” the senior official said.

The two sides are also set to institute confidence-building measures, an Israeli official told the Axios news site.

“Both countries expressed a desire to reach a security agreement under President Trump’s vision for the Middle East,” the official said.

A Syrian source close to President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government was quoted by Channel 12 news as saying American pressure has created “fertile ground for potential progress toward a security agreement with Israel.”

“The indications from the Syrian side point to a positive direction on the path to formulating a security agreement that will provide a response to the demands of both sides, without the need for [Israeli] military presence inside Syria,” the source reportedly said.

“It seems like the US is interested in a quick deal. We are ready to provide the Israeli side with security guarantees that will be acceptable to everyone in exchange for its withdrawal from Syrian territory. This is a step that simultaneously creates a sense of comfort for Israel and Syria.”

Additionally, the source said that Syria has not compromised on its position on Sweida, where Israel has demanded a “humanitarian corridor” be opened, and that matters there will remain an internal Syrian matter. The southern Syrian region experienced sectarian violence last year — including by regime forces — that killed hundreds of people from the Druze community, which Israel has vowed to protect.

“The matter will be solved between the locals themselves, without arms or external support. It seems that on the Israeli side, there are indications they agree in principle on this matter,” the source added.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said later Tuesday that talks with Syria “took place as part of President Trump’s vision to advance peace in the Middle East,” and that Israel is pushing economic ties between the enemy states.

According to the PMO, Israel “emphasized the importance of ensuring the security of its citizens and preventing threats along its borders.”

Israel’s negotiators also stressed Jerusalem’s “commitment to promoting regional stability and security, as well as the need to advance economic cooperation for the benefit of both countries.”

The countries agreed to continue the talks “to advance shared objectives and to safeguard the security of the Druze minority in Syria,” the Israeli readout said.

Additionally, France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot met his Syrian counterpart Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani on Tuesday.

According to the Syrian readout, the two diplomats discussed “ways to enhance strategic partnerships between the two countries, in addition to France’s readiness for its companies to resume operations in Syria.”

Barrot will likely meet US envoy Tom Barrack on Wednesday, and will meet members of the Israeli delegation as well.

The discussions in Paris are focused on reviving a 1974 disengagement agreement that established a UN-monitored buffer zone between Israel and Syria after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Syrian state news outlet SANA reported on Monday.

US President Donald Trump, who has been eager for a deal to be signed, asked Netanyahu to restart the talks when they met last week at Mar-a-Lago, according to Axios.

While Netanyahu agrees with Trump that a deal must be reached soon, he has insisted that an agreement not cross Israel’s red lines on ensuring security along its frontier with Syria, the Israeli official told Axios.

Trump has expressed hope for a diplomatic accord, after the IDF seized parts of southern Syria, mostly within a UN-patrolled buffer zone, after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024.

Israel has cited fears the area could fall into the hands of terror groups that could use it as a staging ground for attacks, and said the 1974 disengagement agreement, through which the buffer zone was created, had been made temporarily void by Assad’s ouster.

IDF troops have been operating in areas up to around 15 kilometers (nine miles) inside Syria, aiming to capture weapons that Israel says could pose a threat to the country if they fall into the hands of “hostile forces.”

Israel’s demand for a humanitarian corridor in Sweida led negotiations for a deal to stall and temper initial optimism, Reuters reported last year. Reports in November suggested Israel’s terms had changed again, and demanded full diplomatic relations, which Syria has said is not currently on the cards, further complicating the process.

Trump in December warned Israel against destabilizing Syria and its new leadership, days after IDF soldiers battled gunmen in the country’s south, and said he is “very satisfied” with the country’s performance under new Sharaa, whose forces ousted Assad.