Syria has announced that it is working with the United States on a roadmap to establish security understandings with Israel, as part of efforts to bring stability to the country’s south after weeks of deadly clashes in Sweida province.
According to the Syrian foreign ministry, Washington is in consultation with Damascus to shape agreements with Israel that would address the security concerns of all sides. A Syrian military official confirmed that heavy weapons have already been withdrawn from southern Syria over the past two months, extending up to 10 kilometres outside Damascus, in line with Israeli demands for demilitarisation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier said his government was in talks about creating a demilitarised zone in southern Syria. Israeli forces have been active in the area since the fall of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December.
The latest violence erupted in July when fighting between Druze fighters and Sunni Bedouin expanded into a wider conflict involving Syrian government troops and tribal militias. Israel, citing concerns for its own Druze community and demilitarisation goals, responded with air strikes on Syrian targets.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that more than 2,000 people were killed in the unrest, including nearly 800 Druze civilians allegedly executed by Syrian security forces.
Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani presented a new plan to stabilise Sweida, with backing from the US and Jordan. The plan includes justice for victims, financial compensation, and reconciliation measures. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said a trilateral mechanism will oversee its implementation, while US envoy Tom Barrack described the steps as “historic.”
In a move to rebuild trust, Syria has appointed Druze leader Suleiman Abdel Baqi as the new internal security chief of Sweida. Diplomats also confirmed that Syrian and Israeli officials have already held several rounds of talks, with another scheduled in Baku, Azerbaijan, this week.
Reports last month indicated that Minister Shaibani met Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in Paris to discuss ways to reduce tensions. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has said the ultimate goal of the negotiations is a security deal that would pave the way for Israel’s withdrawal from the recently occupied areas.
