Israel, Syria holding face-to-face meetings to calm border tensions — sources

Israel and Syria are in direct contact and have in recent weeks held face-to-face meetings aimed at calming tensions and preventing conflict in the border region between the two longtime foes, five people familiar with the matter say.

The contacts build on back-channel talks via intermediaries since Islamist rebels Hayat Tahrir al-Sham toppled Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad in December, say two Syrian and two Western sources, as well as a regional intelligence source familiar with the matter.

The sources speak on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject for two nations with no official ties and a history of enmity. The direct talks and their scope have not been previously reported.

On the Syrian side, the sources say contacts have been led by senior security official Ahmad al-Dalati, who was appointed governor of the province of Quneitra, which borders the Golan Heights, after the fall of Assad. Earlier this week, Dalati was also put in charge of security in the southern province of Sweida, home to Syria’s Druze minority.

Reuters is unable to determine who participated on Israel’s side, though two of the sources say they were security officials.

Three of the sources say there had been several rounds of in-person meetings in the border region, including in territory controlled by Israel.

Israel’s foreign ministry and Syrian officials do not immediately respond to requests for comment.