Israel, Syria said to eye September deadline for security agreement; Damascus denies report

Israeli officials confirm that advanced talks are underway with Syria on a potential security agreement, with the end of September set as a target date, according to the Kan public broadcaster.

Interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who acknowledged the negotiations to Arab journalists yesterday, is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly in New York on September 25 — the first time in years that a Syrian leader will speak at the forum. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is slated to deliver his own speech the following day.

Arab media reports, citing Syrian sources, have suggested the US-brokered agreement could be signed on September 25, shortly after al-Sharaa’s address.

The officials cited by Kan confirm the date as a potential deadline, adding that Washington is pressing Jerusalem to accelerate the talks. “It’s important for [US President Donald] Trump to announce this agreement as soon as possible, and that’s the reason the contacts are advancing,” the officials are quoted as saying.

The deal is not expected to constitute a full peace treaty, but rather limited security arrangements designed to reduce tensions and address mutual concerns.

According to the Kan report, the September 25 date is desirable to Sharaa for both international and domestic reasons. A deal timed to his UN speech would bolster his global standing, while unrest among Syria’s Druze minority has left him looking to Israel — which he sees as influential in the south — for a quick arrangement.

Last week, Sky News Arabia reported that the US is trying to arrange a meeting between Sharaa and Netanyahu, and with the participation of Trump, during the UN General Assembly.

Syria’s Foreign Ministry denies both the report of a September 25 deadline and the report on efforts to arrange a meeting between Sharaa and Netanyahu.