Scoop: Netanyahu asks U.S. to broker Israel-Syria negotiations

Axios

a day ago

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. envoy Tom Barrack he's interested in negotiating with the new Syrian government, with the U.S. serving as mediator, two Israeli officials said.
Why it matters: Netanyahu is interested in negotiating an updated security deal and working up towards a full peace agreement, according to a senior Israeli official. These would be the first such talks between Israel and Syria since 2011, and would be particularly remarkable given recent history.
The big picture: When former Islamist militant Ahmad al-Sharaa swept the Assad regime from power, Israel responded with waves of airstrikes that systematically destroyed what was left of the Syrian air force, navy, air defense and missile systems.
Israel also took control of the buffer zone between the countries and occupied territory inside Syria.
The Netanyahu government was highly concerned about the new Turkey-backed Syrian government, and lobbied the Trump administration to move cautiously in engaging with it.
The Israelis were shocked when Trump met with al-Sharaa last month in Saudi Arabia and announced the lifting of all U.S. sanctions imposed on Syria.
The intrigue: Despite their concerns about al-Sharaa, Israel officials also see the changing circumstances — particularly with the departure of Iran and Hezbollah from Syria — as a chance for a breakthrough.
The U.S. dramatic shift towards the new Syrian government also led to a more gradual policy shift in Israel.
The Netanyahu government started engaging with the al-Sharaa government, first indirectly by exchanging messages through third parties and then directly in secret meetings in third countries, two Israeli officials said.
A senior Israeli official told Axios last week that al-Sharaa is more favorable than Israel thought and doesn't take his marching orders from Ankara. "It is better for us that the Syrian government is close to the U.S. and Saudi Arabia," the official said.
Behind the scenes: Barrack, the U.S. envoy to Syria and longtime Trump confidant, visited Israel last week and met Netanyahu and other senior officials.
The Israelis took Barrack to the border area with Syria in the Golan Heights and to the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, a strategic outpost the Israel Defense Forces took over after the collapse of the Assad regime.
A week prior, Barrack was in Damascus. He met al-Sharaa and reopened the U.S. ambassador's residence in the Syrian capital.
While in Damascus, Barrack called the conflict between Syria and Israel "a solvable problem" and stressed the two countries should "start with just a non-aggression agreement."
When Barrack met Netanyahu last week, the Israeli prime minister told him he wants to use the momentum from the Trump-al-Sharaa meeting to start U.S.-mediated negotiations with Syria, an Israeli official said.
A senior Israel official said Netanyahu's goal is to try and reach a set of agreements, starting with an updated security deal based on the 1974 disengagement of forces agreement, with modifications, and ending with a peace deal between the countries.
The prime minister believes al-Sharaa's aspiration to build close ties with the Trump administration create a diplomatic opportunity. "We want to try and move towards normalization with Syria as soon as possible," the official said.
According to the official, Barrack told the Israelis al-Sharaa is open to discussing new agreements with Israel. Barrack declined to comment for this story, as did Netanyahu's office.
After his visit to Israel, Barrack traveled to Washington and briefed President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "I can assure you the President's vision with the Secretary's execution is not only hopeful but achievable," he wrote on X.
Between the lines: A U.S. official said the Israelis presented to Barrack their "red lines" on Syria: No Turkish military bases in the country, no renewed Iranian and Hezbollah presence and the demilitarization of southern Syria.
The Israelis told Barrack they will keep their forces in Syria until a new agreement is signed that includes the demilitarization of southern Syria, an Israeli official said.
The official added that in a new future border deal with Syria, Israel wants to add U.S. forces to the UN force that was previously stationed on the border.
What to watch: One big question mark in any future Israeli-Syrian peace talks will be the Golan Heights, which Israel occupied in the 1967 war.
In every round of talks with Israel over the last three decades the Assad regime demanded a full or almost full Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights in return for peace.
During his first term, Trump recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel. The Biden administration didn't reverse that decision.
Israeli officials think the new Syrian government will raise the Golan Heights issue in any future peace talks, but might more flexible about it than the Assad regime.