Israel and Syria's Diplomats Conferred in Paris over Escalation Reduction
In a significant development, the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Asad Al Shibani, met with an Israeli delegation in Paris on Tuesday, marking an unprecedented direct, officially acknowledged contact after 25 years of no public dialogue. The talks, which are part of broader diplomatic efforts, aimed to discuss "de-escalation" between Syria and Israel and strengthen stability in the region.
The discussions focused on reinforcing stability in the region and southern Syria, particularly in the Druze region of Sweida, where intercommunal violence has resulted in over 1,400 deaths, according to an NGO. The US is part of the discussions on the monitoring of the ceasefire in Sweida, and the meeting addressed the monitoring of the ceasefire in this region.
The goal of these diplomatic efforts is to preserve the unity and integrity of Syria's territory, as well as its security and stability. The talks touched on returning to the 1974 agreement between Syria and Israel, which established a zone of separation between the two countries. The 1974 agreement is being considered as a potential framework for reducing direct military confrontations and stabilizing southern Syria.
Israel's red lines emphasized during the talks included no Syrian military deployment south of Damascus and protection of the Druze community, particularly in Suwayda, a Druze-majority southern region where clashes had occurred recently. Syrian government forces had recently deployed to Suwayda, leading to violent clashes with Druze militias and prompting Israeli strikes on Syrian military sites, which increased tensions.
Despite the talks, Syria accused Israel of continuing sovereignty violations, such as Israeli troop movements around Mount Hermon, which threatens to escalate tensions even amid diplomatic efforts. The US is also involved in the discussions regarding non-interference in Syrian internal affairs.
The recent de-escalation talks are a cautious attempt, under US mediation, to negotiate a framework based on the historic 1974 disengagement lines aimed at reducing direct military confrontations and stabilizing southern Syria. While challenges and mutual accusations continue in the background, these talks represent a hopeful step towards peace and stability in the region.
Read also:
- Weekly happenings in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Southwest region's most popular posts, accompanied by an inquiry:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
- Massive 8.8 earthquake hits off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting Japan to issue a tsunami alert.
