Security Agreement 'Soon' Between Syria and Israel?

Foreign Minister of Syria Asad al-Shibani announced that Damascus expects to resume negotiations soon with Israel regarding a security agreement, hoping it will lead to Israel's withdrawal from Syrian lands, and urged Israel to seize a "historic opportunity," confirming that the door remains open for diplomacy.

In an interview in Damascus with Reuters, days after Israel bombed the Syrian Abu al-Duhur airbase, Shibani also emphasized that halting Israeli attacks is Damascus's top priority, stating that steps are necessary to build trust in this direction.

For over a year, Washington has sought to broker a security agreement between Israel and the government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a new U.S. ally in the Middle East.

Yet this agreement remains distant, as Israel has sent troops into Syrian territory and attacked government sites, citing threats to its own security.

Shibani said: "After the Iran-Israel war, negotiations were frozen, and we hope they resume shortly so we can complete this matter."

He added: "We do not currently trust Israel, through our interactions with them; there is no trust right now," noting that communications have been severed following the airstrike targeting the airbase on Tuesday.

"There must be communication, especially with a party that constantly threatens Syria's security, but if such communication yields no results, we do not want it at all," Shibani stated.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not respond to a request for comment.