Yedioth Ahronoth: Indirect talks between Damascus and Tel Aviv were positive

Despite regional and international diplomatic efforts to halt Israel’s growing ground and air incursion into Syria, and the positive messages emanating from Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Israeli military continues to reinforce its positions within the territory it occupied five months ago in the eastern part of the Golan Heights.

This suggests that Tel Aviv remains skeptical of the intentions of the new regime in Damascus, despite the easing of tensions between the two countries.

Israelis believe that the new ruling body in Syria sends positive messages to all parties, including Iran, not just Israel.

They point out that there are armed elements linked to the Damascus government that don’t hide their hostility toward Israel and its allies in the region, and therefore they will be dealt with cautiously.

The Israelis say that efforts to bolster their security will continue unabated, even if it takes years.

Reports have recently emerged of Israeli-Syrian talks taking place in a third country in April, aimed at containing tensions between the two countries.

These indirect talks focused on security and intelligence issues, counterterrorism, and confidence-building between the two countries, which do not have formal relations, according to media reports.

Sources said the talks were positive, although Israel did not halt its operations in Syria, as in fact, it launched airstrikes on an open site within an area belonging to the presidential palace in Damascus, allegedly to defend Syrian Druze who are being attacked by elements close to the regime in Damascus.

Yedioth Ahronoth reported on meetings between figures close to the Syrian regime and Israelis, as the Israeli newspaper claimed that unofficial talks were held three times, bringing together Israeli academics with security backgrounds and three people close to Ahmed al Sharaa.

These alleged rounds discussed halting Israeli attacks on Syria and ensuring the security of the Druze near the border, in exchange for a Syrian request to de-escalate and give the new regime a chance to arrange its internal affairs.

The Israeli newspaper’s sources claimed that the talks, which were being held in an informal setting, were direct, unlike previous negotiations conducted in separate rooms.

This reflects an attempt to build trust, supported by assurances from the Syrian side that “Syria doesn’t intend to threaten any of its neighbors, including Israel”.

In the same context, Yedioth Ahronoth said that side meetings were held between Syrian and Israeli figures at two conferences in Europe, during which members of the Syrian delegation showed friendliness toward the Israelis and emphasized that the new regime in Damascus had expelled the Iranians from the country and wouldn’t allow them to return, a position the Israelis understood as a direct message to them.

Yedioth Ahronoth said that the Syrian delegation consisted of six people and had received official approval to meet with the Israelis in Europe.