Syria, Israel to set up joint cell under US on de-escalation

Syria’s new government and Israel will set up a joint group under US supervision to share intelligence and seek military de-escalation on the ground, they announced Tuesday after talks.

Syria’s foreign minister traveled to Paris for the talks, which come after Israel has repeatedly struck its historic rival despite US unease over the pressure on the fragile government.

A joint statement issued by the US State Department after the talks in the French capital said that Syria and Israel were committed to “achieving lasting security and stability arrangements for both countries.”

“Both sides have decided to establish a joint fusion mechanism -- a dedicated communication cell -- to facilitate immediate and ongoing coordination on their intelligence sharing, military de-escalation, diplomatic engagement and commercial opportunities under the supervision of the United States,” the statement said.

“This mechanism will serve as a platform to address any disputes promptly and work to prevent misunderstandings.”

The meeting initiated by the United States was the first in several months between Israel and Syria, which have no diplomatic relations.

President Donald Trump has sought to support Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former militant aligned with Saudi Arabia and Turkey whose forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in a lightning offensive in December 2024 after more than a decade of brutal civil war.

Since Assad’s fall, Israel sent troops into a UN-patrolled buffer zone that had separated Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights, which Israel captured in the 1967 Six-Day War.

Sharaa has sought to avoid confrontation with Israel but has also opposed Israel’s insistence on maintaining a demilitarized zone in southern Syria.

The joint statement did not address the zone.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office in a statement called for economic cooperation with Syria and “regional stability and security.”

“It was agreed to continue the dialogue to advance shared objectives and safeguard the security of the Druze minority in Syria,” it said.

Israel has claimed violence against the Druze, who also have a presence inside Israel, as a reason to intervene in Syria.