Syrian president says his government is holding indirect talks with Israel
'There are indirect negotiations (with Israel) via mediators to calm and contain the situation so matters don't reach a point where both sides lose control,' Al-Sharaa said at a news conference in Paris.
'We are trying to speak to all the countries that are in contact with the Israeli side to pressure them to stop interfering in Syrian affairs.'
Al-Sharaa said the objective is for Israel to abide by the United Nations-brokered 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria, and retreat to the boundary it demarcated to make way for the return of UN peacekeepers. The boundary separates Syria proper from Israel and the occupied Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 war.
Debris is scattered at the site of an Israeli strike on a military airbase near Hama, Syria, on April 3. - Omar Albam/AP/File
Since the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad fell in December, Israel has taken more territory in Syria and staged multiple attacks to prevent reconstitution of military capabilities and root out militancy that it says could threaten its security. Israel's move into Syrian territory was initially described as temporary but officials have since said that the military will remain in Syria indefinitely.
Israel has declared a buffer zone in the south of Syria with the stated aim of protecting Syria's Druze minority, and on Wednesday Israel Police said that its Border Police are now operating inside Syria, for the first time.
'The Israeli interventions have violated the 1974 agreement. Since we arrived in Damascus we stated to all relevant parties that Syria is committed to the 1974 agreement,' Al-Sharaa said.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that the United Arab Emirates has set up a back channel for talks between Israel and Syria, citing sources it didn't identify. The talks are focused on security and intelligence matters and confidence-building, it said. Al-Sharaa visited the UAE last month.
But Lana Nusseibeh, UAE assistant foreign minister for political affairs, denied that her country was mediating talks between Israel and Syria.
'The claim that the UAE is 'mediating secret talks' between Syria and Israel is categorically false. The UAE is not part of any such talks,' she said.
CNN has reached out to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office for comment.
CNN's Eugenia Yosef contributed to this report.
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
34 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
A half-million young Catholics invade Rome, awaiting Pope Leo XIV at Holy Year youth festival
ROME (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of young Catholics poured into a vast field on Rome's outskirts Saturday for the weekend highlight of the Vatican's 2025 Holy Year: an evening vigil, outdoor slumber party and morning Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV that marks his first big encounter with the next generation of Catholics. Leo will surely like what he sees: For the past week, bands of young Catholics from around the world have invaded the area around St. Peter's Square for their special Jubilee celebration, in this Holy Year in which 32 million people are expected to descend on Rome to participate in a centuries-old pilgrimage to the seat of Catholicism. The young people have been traipsing through cobblestoned streets in color-coordinated t-shirts, praying the Rosary and singing hymns with guitars, bongo drums and tambourines shimmying alongside. Using their flags as tarps to shield them from the sun, they have taken over entire piazzas for Christian rock concerts and inspirational talks, and stood for hours at the Circus Maximus to confess their sins to 1,000 priests offering the sacrament in a dozen different languages. On Saturday, they began arriving at the Tor Vergata field on the eastern flank of Rome for the culmination of their Jubilee celebration — the encounter with Leo. After walking five kilometers (three miles) from the nearest subway station, they passed through security checks, picked up their boxed meals and set up camp, backpacks and sleeping bags at the ready and umbrellas planted to give them shade. Leo, who was elected in May as the first American pope, was flying in by helicopter Saturday evening to preside over the vigil and a question-and-answer session. He was then returning to the Vatican for the night and coming back for a popemobile romp and Mass on Sunday morning. A mini World Youth Day, 25 years later It all has the vibe of a World Youth Day, the Catholic Woodstock festival that St. John Paul II inaugurated and made famous in 2000 in Rome at the very same Tor Vergata field. Then, before an estimated 2 million people, John Paul told the young pilgrims they were the 'sentinels of the morning' at the dawn of the third millennium. Officials had initially expected 500,000 youngsters this weekend, but Leo hinted the number might reach 1 million. 'It's a bit messed up, but this is what is nice about the Jubilee,' said Chloe Jobbour, a 19-year-old Lebanese Catholic who was in Rome with a group of more than 200 young members of the Community of the Beatitudes, a France-based charismatic group. She said, for example, it had taken two hours to get dinner Friday night, as the KFC was overwhelmed by orders. The Salesian school that offered her group housing is an hour away by bus. But Jobbour, like many here this week, didn't mind the discomfort: It's all part of the experience. 'I don't expect it to be better than that. I expected it this way,' she said, as members of her group gathered on church steps near the Vatican to sing and pray before heading out to Tor Vergata. There was already one tragedy before the vigil began: The Vatican confirmed that an Egyptian 18-year-old, identified as Pascale Rafic, had died while on the pilgrimage. Leo met Saturday with the group she was traveling with and extended his condolences to her family. The weather has largely cooperated: While Italian civil protection crews had prepared for temperatures that could have reached 34C (93F) or higher this week, the mercury hasn't surpassed 30C (85F) and isn't expected to. Romans inconvenienced, but tolerant Those Romans who didn't flee the onslaught have been inconvenienced by the additional hordes on the city's notoriously insufficient public transport system. Residents are sharing social media posts of outbursts by Romans angered by kids flooding subway platforms and crowding bus stops that have complicated their commutes to work. But other Romans have welcomed the enthusiasm the youngsters have brought. Premier Giorgia Meloni offered a video welcome, marveling at the 'extraordinary festival of faith, joy and hope' that the young people had brought to the Eternal City. 'I think it's marvelous,' said Rome hairdresser Rina Verdone, who lives near the Tor Vergata field and woke up Saturday to find a gaggle of police congregating outside her home as part of the massive, 4,000-strong operation mounted to keep the peace. 'You think the faith, the religion is in difficulty, but this is proof that it's not so.' Verdone had already made plans to take an alternate route home Saturday afternoon, that would require an extra kilometer (half-mile) walk, because she feared the 'invasion' of kids in her neighborhood would disrupt her usual bus route. But she said she was more than happy to make the sacrifice.
CNN
35 minutes ago
- CNN
President Trump revives Presidential Fitness. We run the test
President Trump revives Presidential Fitness. We run the test President Donald Trump signed an executive order that will expand on his council on sports, fitness and nutrition, including by reviving the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools. CNN's Harry Enten decided to take the test. 01:56 - Source: CNN Vertical Trending Now 16 videos President Trump revives Presidential Fitness. We run the test President Donald Trump signed an executive order that will expand on his council on sports, fitness and nutrition, including by reviving the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools. CNN's Harry Enten decided to take the test. 01:56 - Source: CNN Justin Trudeau sings 'Firework' at Katy Perry concert Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was seen singing and dancing at a Katy Perry concert in Montreal in late July. Two days earlier, Trudeau and Perry were seen having dinner together, sparking dating rumors across social media. 00:59 - Source: CNN New research reveals origin of potatoes Scientists traced the lineage of potatoes to a wild genetic fusion about 9 million years ago between a tomato ancestor and a tuberless plant. 01:04 - Source: CNN Blake Lively to be deposed against Justin Baldoni Blake Lively is set to be deposed Thursday in her legal battle against Justin Baldoni. 00:24 - Source: CNN Amusement park ride splits in half in Saudi Arabia At least 23 people were injured, three of them critically, when a fairground ride buckled in Saudi Arabia, sending passengers crashing to the ground, according to state media. 00:33 - Source: CNN Dozens injured on Delta flight Severe turbulence struck a Delta flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam Wednesday, causing service carts and unbelted passengers to hit the ceiling and forcing an emergency landing in Minnesota, where 25 people on board were taken to hospitals. 01:01 - Source: CNN Arrest made in Arkansas hiking murders A man has been arrested in connection with the deaths of a married couple attacked and killed while hiking with their two young daughters at a state park in the Ozark Mountains, according to the Arkansas State Police. 00:45 - Source: CNN Crypto attack on OnlyFans streamer caught on camera Several crypto investors, including streamer and content creator Kaitlyn 'Amouranth' Siragusa, have been targeted in a series of violent attacks by gangs attempting to access their crypto wallets. Blockchain intelligence firms believe that the perceived anonymity and irreversibility of crypto transactions make investors an attractive target. 02:05 - Source: CNN High Noon recalls vodka seltzer mislabeled as Celsius High Noon has issued a voluntary recall after mislabeling some of its vodka seltzer as Celsius energy drinks. The FDA says no adverse events or illnesses have been reported. 00:55 - Source: CNN Jet2 holiday singer speaks out after White House uses meme British singer Jess Glynne responded to the White House's decision to use the viral TikTok sound, which includes her 2015 song "Hold My Hand" and Jet2's commercial. Glynne criticized the White House for using the audio to show the ongoing mass deportations in the United States. 01:10 - Source: CNN Fans pay tribute as emotional Sharon Osbourne lays flowers at Ozzy memorial Thousands of fans paid their respects to Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne as his hearse made its way through the streets of Birmingham, the English city where he grew up and where the band was formed in 1968. Osbourne died last Tuesday at the age of 76. 00:46 - Source: CNN Shannon Sharpe out at ESPN after settling sexual assault lawsuit Former NFL star Shannon Sharpe, who has been one of the faces of ESPN's morning sports debate show 'First Take,' is no longer with the network, a source with knowledge of the situation told CNN. 00:54 - Source: CNN Crocodile gets caught underneath moving truck A bystander captured video of a crocodile caught underneath a truck driving through high water in Australia at Kakadu National Park. 00:25 - Source: CNN Beyoncé brings out Destiny's Child during final show Beyoncé reunited Destiny's Child during her concert at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland joining her on stage to perform a medley of the group's biggest hits, as part of her final Cowboy Carter show. 00:45 - Source: CNN Gwyneth Paltrow joins Astronomer as temporary spokesperson Actress and Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow appeared in a new ad for Astronomer, the tech firm whose former CEO and human resources chief were caught in an awkward moment on a Jumbotron at a Coldplay concert last week. Paltrow is the ex-wife of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. 00:51 - Source: CNN 'South Park' skewers Trump after signing new Paramount deal In their first episode of the season, the creators of "South Park" mocked President Donald Trump and Paramount after they just signed a new $1.5 billion contract. Paramount is looking to merge with Skydance Media and needs the Trump-influenced FCC to approve the deal. 01:24 - Source: CNN
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
A half-million young Catholics invade Rome, awaiting Pope Leo XIV at Holy Year youth festival
ROME (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of young Catholics poured into a vast field on Rome's outskirts Saturday for the weekend highlight of the Vatican's 2025 Holy Year: an evening vigil, outdoor slumber party and morning Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV that marks his first big encounter with the next generation of Catholics. Leo will surely like what he sees: For the past week, bands of young Catholics from around the world have invaded the area around St. Peter's Square for their special Jubilee celebration, in this Holy Year in which 32 million people are expected to descend on Rome to participate in a centuries-old pilgrimage to the seat of Catholicism. The young people have been traipsing through cobblestoned streets in color-coordinated t-shirts, praying the Rosary and singing hymns with guitars, bongo drums and tambourines shimmying alongside. Using their flags as tarps to shield them from the sun, they have taken over entire piazzas for Christian rock concerts and inspirational talks, and stood for hours at the Circus Maximus to confess their sins to 1,000 priests offering the sacrament in a dozen different languages. On Saturday, they began arriving at the Tor Vergata field on the eastern flank of Rome for the culmination of their Jubilee celebration — the encounter with Leo. After walking five kilometers (three miles) from the nearest subway station, they passed through security checks, picked up their boxed meals and set up camp, backpacks and sleeping bags at the ready and umbrellas planted to give them shade. Leo, who was elected in May as the first American pope , was flying in by helicopter Saturday evening to preside over the vigil and a question-and-answer session. He was then returning to the Vatican for the night and coming back for a popemobile romp and Mass on Sunday morning. A mini World Youth Day, 25 years later It all has the vibe of a World Youth Day, the Catholic Woodstock festival that St. John Paul II inaugurated and made famous in 2000 in Rome at the very same Tor Vergata field. Then, before an estimated 2 million people, John Paul told the young pilgrims they were the 'sentinels of the morning' at the dawn of the third millennium. Officials had initially expected 500,000 youngsters this weekend, but Leo hinted the number might reach 1 million. 'It's a bit messed up, but this is what is nice about the Jubilee,' said Chloe Jobbour, a 19-year-old Lebanese Catholic who was in Rome with a group of more than 200 young members of the Community of the Beatitudes, a France-based charismatic group. She said, for example, it had taken two hours to get dinner Friday night, as the KFC was overwhelmed by orders. The Salesian school that offered her group housing is an hour away by bus. But Jobbour, like many here this week, didn't mind the discomfort: It's all part of the experience. 'I don't expect it to be better than that. I expected it this way,' she said, as members of her group gathered on church steps near the Vatican to sing and pray before heading out to Tor Vergata. There was already one tragedy before the vigil began: The Vatican confirmed that an Egyptian 18-year-old, identified as Pascale Rafic, had died while on the pilgrimage. Leo met Saturday with the group she was traveling with and extended his condolences to her family. The weather has largely cooperated: While Italian civil protection crews had prepared for temperatures that could have reached 34C (93F) or higher this week, the mercury hasn't surpassed 30C (85F) and isn't expected to. Romans inconvenienced, but tolerant Those Romans who didn't flee the onslaught have been inconvenienced by the additional hordes on the city's notoriously insufficient public transport system. Residents are sharing social media posts of outbursts by Romans angered by kids flooding subway platforms and crowding bus stops that have complicated their commutes to work. But other Romans have welcomed the enthusiasm the youngsters have brought. Premier Giorgia Meloni offered a video welcome, marveling at the 'extraordinary festival of faith, joy and hope' that the young people had brought to the Eternal City. 'I think it's marvelous,' said Rome hairdresser Rina Verdone, who lives near the Tor Vergata field and woke up Saturday to find a gaggle of police congregating outside her home as part of the massive, 4,000-strong operation mounted to keep the peace. 'You think the faith, the religion is in difficulty, but this is proof that it's not so.' Verdone had already made plans to take an alternate route home Saturday afternoon, that would require an extra kilometer (half-mile) walk, because she feared the 'invasion' of kids in her neighborhood would disrupt her usual bus route. But she said she was more than happy to make the sacrifice. 'You think of invasion as something negative. But this is a positive invasion,' she said. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
