Syria wants to soon resume negotiations with Israel on a security agreement that establishes the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Syrian territories. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani told Reuters this Sunday (23.Aug.2026) that Damascus keeps the door open to diplomacy, despite the lack of trust in Israel.
Shaibani said that negotiations have been frozen since the start of the war with Iran. Direct contact between the countries was also interrupted after an Israeli attack on the Syrian base of Abu al-Duhur, on Tuesday (18.Aug.2026).
According to the chancellor, Syria’s priority is to end Israeli attacks before moving forward in negotiations. “I believe negotiations will resume soon”he declared.
Troop withdrawal
Shaibani stated that in early 2026, Syria and Israel had agreed in writing to “almost everything” on the terms of a security agreement.
The proposal established the end of Israeli attacks and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied territories after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, in 2024. The text also established security zones close to the border, including a strip under the exclusive presence of the UN (United Nations).
Despite progress in negotiations, the chancellor stated that Israel has not demonstrated a willingness to implement the agreement. “We didn’t see that they had a real desire to reach an agreement”these.
Pressure from the United States
According to Shaibani, the United States is putting pressure on Israel to resume negotiations. Still, the chancellor stated that Damascus maintains distrust towards the Israeli government.
“We believe that there must be contact, especially with a party that constantly threatens Syria’s security. But if this contact does not bring results, we do not need it”he stated.
Source: https://www.poder360.com.br/poder-internacional/siria-quer-retomar-negociacoes-com-israel-sobre-retirada/
