Syria and Israel resume U.S.-mediated border talks in Paris

Syria and Israel have resumed U.S.-mediated talks in Paris aimed at reducing tensions along their border, Syria’s state news agency SANA reported on Monday. A Western diplomat and a Syrian official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Thomas J. Barrack Jr., the American special envoy to Syria and Lebanon, is mediating the discussions.

SANA said the talks are focused on reviving a United Nations‑patrolled buffer zone. The Syrian delegation is led by Foreign Minister Asaad al‑Shaibani and intelligence chief Hussein al‑Salama, and the team is pressing Israel to withdraw troops it seized after the fall of Bashar al‑Assad’s government in December 2024.

Previous rounds have stalled, Syrian officials said, amid Israeli incursions deeper into Syrian territory. The mediation has faced setbacks, including Israeli airstrikes in July near the presidential palace that damaged the Defense Ministry and prompted President Ahmed al‑Sharaa to accuse Israel of seeking to sow "chaos."

Analysts say Syria’s economy and military were largely destroyed during the 13‑year civil war, leaving it with limited leverage in the talks, and Syrian officials have expressed concern about whether Israel would abide by any agreement. The negotiations are the latest attempt to reset relations and could also help both countries curry favor with the Trump administration, which has pushed for a U.S.‑brokered deal.

Key Topics

World, Syria, Israel, Golan Heights, United Nations, Thomas Barrack