Syria expects negotiations with Israel over a proposed security agreement to resume soon and hopes any deal will ultimately lead to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Syrian territory, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said.
Speaking to Reuters in Damascus, Shaibani urged Israel to take advantage of what he described as a “historic opportunity” for diplomacy, while stressing that Syria’s immediate priority was to halt Israeli attacks.
His comments came days after Israel struck a Syrian military airbase, further straining relations and disrupting contacts between the two sides.
The United States has been working for more than a year to broker a security agreement between Israel and the government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has developed closer relations with Washington. Progress has remained difficult, however, amid Israeli military operations and deployments inside Syria.
Shaibani said negotiations had been suspended following the outbreak of the Iran war, but Damascus expected discussions to restart. Direct contact between Syria and Israel was halted following the latest airbase strike, he added.
“We believe there should be contact, especially with a party that constantly threatens the security of Syria,” Shaibani said. “But if this contact doesn’t bring results, then we don’t need it.”
“We do not trust Israel currently,” he added.
The Syrian foreign minister said confidence-building measures, particularly an end to Israeli attacks, would be necessary for negotiations to make meaningful progress.
Israel has maintained that its military actions in Syria are intended to address threats to its security. The Israeli prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.