Yanki Farber
Israeli and Syrian representatives reportedly held a meeting in Azerbaijan, according to a report by Israel’s Kan News. A follow-up meeting between representatives of both countries is also said to be in the works.
According to the French news agency AFP, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who is currently visiting Azerbaijan, did not take part in the meeting.
Israeli journalist Roi Kais reported that the discussions focused on a series of coordination efforts between the two countries.
Meanwhile, this coming Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar is expected to attend the same session as Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Shaybani at a European Union event in Brussels. As of now, no one-on-one meeting has been scheduled between the two ministers.
During a recent national security briefing in Israel’s parliament (the Knesset), lawmakers were informed that direct talks with Syria are ongoing. Members of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee were also told that Israel has demanded that Syria halt violence against the Druze population in the country.
The Saudi news outlet Al-Hadath reported that the discussions are expected to focus on Israel’s presence in the Syrian Golan Heights. Syria’s Al-Watan newspaper said Azerbaijan was chosen to host the meeting because it serves as a “flexible diplomatic platform” and maintains good relations with both Israel and Turkey.
According to Al-Watan, normalization between Israel and Syria is not currently on the agenda. However, the talks reflect the new Syrian regime’s broader policy of “opening channels with all regional and global players.”
