Latest news with #Ekhbariya
Ya Libnan
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
Syria and Israel in direct talks focused on security, Reuters
An Israeli military vehicle is seen near the border between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Syria, May 4, 2025. REUTERS/Shir Torem/File Photo By Timour Azhari and Suleiman Al-Khalidi Highlights DAMASCUS/AMMAN- Israel and Syria are in direct contact and have in recent weeks held face-to-face meetings aimed at calming tensions and preventing conflict in the border region between the two longtime foes, five people familiar with the matter said. The contacts mark a significant development in ties between states that have been on opposite sides of conflict in the Middle East for decades, as the U.S. encourages the new Islamist rulers in Damascus to establish relations with Israel and Israel eases its bombardment of Syria. They also build on back-channel talks via intermediaries since Islamist rebels Hayat Tahrir al-Sham toppled Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad in December, said two Syrian and two Western sources, as well as a regional intelligence source familiar with the matter. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject for two nations with no official ties and a history of enmity. The direct talks and their scope have not been previously reported. On the Syrian side, the sources said contacts have been led by senior security official Ahmad al-Dalati, who was appointed governor of the province of Quneitra, which borders the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, after the fall of Assad. Earlier this week, Dalati was also put in charge of security in the southern province of Sweida, home to Syria's Druze minority. In a statement to Syria's government-owned Ekhbariya, Dalati said: 'I categorically deny my participation in any direct negotiation sessions with the Israeli side.' 'The Syrian leadership continues to take all necessary measures to protect the Syrian people and defend the sovereignty and unity of the Republic's lands, using all lawful means.' Reuters could not determine who participated on Israel's side, though two of the sources said they were security officials. Three of the sources said there had been several rounds of in-person meetings in the border region, including in territory controlled by Israel. Israel's foreign ministry and Syrian officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Earlier this month, Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa confirmed indirect talks with Israel that he said were aimed at calming tensions, a striking admission that followed a Reuters report that the UAE was mediating such talks. Israel has occupied the Syrian Golan Heights since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and took more territory in the aftermath of Assad's ouster in December, citing lingering concerns over the extremist past of the country's new rulers. It has also waged a campaign of aerial bombardment that destroyed much of the country's military infrastructure, while at the same time lobbying Washington to keep the country weak and decentralized. But the bombing and the criticism have subsided in recent weeks On May 14, a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Sharaa in Riyadh upended decades of U.S. Syria policy, and signalled to Israel's right-wing government that it should work to reach understandings with Sharaa. The regional intelligence source described Trump's engagement with Sharaa as a pivotal part of a realignment in U.S. policy that upset Israel's post-Assad strategy of exploiting Syria's fragmentation. BROADER UNDERSTANDINGS? The relative calm in May has also seen a reduction in tensions around Sweida, which saw days of bloody clashes between Druze armed factions, some of which enjoy Israeli backing, and Sunni Muslim fighters last month. Amid the violence, Israel had launched a series of airstrikes, including one just outside the presidential palace overlooking Damascus, which it framed as a warning over threats against the Druze, an offshoot of Islam with adherents in Syria, Lebanon , Jordan and Israel. While the direct talks are currently focused on joint security, such as preventing conflict and reducing Israeli incursions into Syrian border villages, two of the sources said they may help pave the way for broader political understandings. 'For now, they are about peace, as in the absence of war, rather than normalization,' said the person familiar with backchannel talks. Trump indicated after meeting Sharaa that the Syrian leader was willing to eventually normalize ties with Israel, while adding that it would take some time. Sharaa has not commented on the statement, saying instead that he supported a return to the terms of a 1974 ceasefire agreement that created a U.N. buffer zone in the Golan Heights. Syria's new rulers have made repeated efforts to show they pose no threat to Israel, meeting representatives of the Jewish community in Damascus and abroad and detaining two senior members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which participated in the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel. A letter sent by Syria's foreign ministry to the U.S. State Department last month, seen by Reuters, said 'we will not allow Syria to become a source of threat to any party, including Israel.' More recently, Syria's leadership has shown goodwill by approving the handover of a trove of long-dead Israeli master spy Eli Cohen's belongings. (Reuters)
Japan Today
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Syria and Israel in direct talks focused on security, sources say
FILE PHOTO: An Israeli military vehicle is seen near the border between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Syria, May 4, 2025. REUTERS/Shir Torem/File Photo By Timour Azhari and Suleiman Al-Khalidi Israel and Syria are in direct contact and have in recent weeks held face-to-face meetings aimed at calming tensions and preventing conflict in the border region between the two longtime foes, five people familiar with the matter said. The contacts mark a significant development in ties between states that have been on opposite sides of conflict in the Middle East for decades, as the U.S. encourages the new Islamist rulers in Damascus to establish relations with Israel and Israel eases its bombardment of Syria. They also build on back-channel talks via intermediaries since Islamist rebels Hayat Tahrir al-Sham toppled Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad in December, said two Syrian and two Western sources, as well as a regional intelligence source familiar with the matter. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject for two nations with no official ties and a history of enmity. The direct talks and their scope have not been previously reported. On the Syrian side, the sources said contacts have been led by senior security official Ahmad al-Dalati, who was appointed governor of the province of Quneitra, which borders the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, after the fall of Assad. Earlier this week, Dalati was also put in charge of security in the southern province of Sweida, home to Syria's Druze minority. In a statement to Syria's government-owned Ekhbariya, Dalati said: "I categorically deny my participation in any direct negotiation sessions with the Israeli side." "The Syrian leadership continues to take all necessary measures to protect the Syrian people and defend the sovereignty and unity of the Republic's lands, using all lawful means." Reuters could not determine who participated on Israel's side, though two of the sources said they were security officials. Three of the sources said there had been several rounds of in-person meetings in the border region, including in territory controlled by Israel. Israel's foreign ministry and Syrian officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Earlier this month, Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa confirmed indirect talks with Israel that he said were aimed at calming tensions, a striking admission that followed a Reuters report that the UAE was mediating such talks. Israel has occupied the Syrian Golan Heights since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and took more territory in the aftermath of Assad's ouster in December, citing lingering concerns over the extremist past of the country's new rulers. It has also waged a campaign of aerial bombardment that destroyed much of the country's military infrastructure, while at the same time lobbying Washington to keep the country weak and decentralized. But the bombing and the criticism have subsided in recent weeks. On May 14, a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Sharaa in Riyadh upended decades of U.S. Syria policy, and signalled to Israel's right-wing government that it should work to reach understandings with Sharaa. The regional intelligence source described Trump's engagement with Sharaa as a pivotal part of a realignment in U.S. policy that upset Israel's post-Assad strategy of exploiting Syria's fragmentation. The relative calm in May has also seen a reduction in tensions around Sweida, which saw days of bloody clashes between Druze armed factions, some of which enjoy Israeli backing, and Sunni Muslim fighters last month. Amid the violence, Israel had launched a series of airstrikes, including one just outside the presidential palace overlooking Damascus, which it framed as a warning over threats against the Druze, an offshoot of Islam with adherents in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. While the direct talks are currently focused on joint security, such as preventing conflict and reducing Israeli incursions into Syrian border villages, two of the sources said they may help pave the way for broader political understandings. "For now, they are about peace, as in the absence of war, rather than normalization," said the person familiar with backchannel talks. Trump indicated after meeting Sharaa that the Syrian leader was willing to eventually normalize ties with Israel, while adding that it would take some time. Sharaa has not commented on the statement, saying instead that he supported a return to the terms of a 1974 ceasefire agreement that created a U.N. buffer zone in the Golan Heights. Syria's new rulers have made repeated efforts to show they pose no threat to Israel, meeting representatives of the Jewish community in Damascus and abroad and detaining two senior members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which participated in the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel. A letter sent by Syria's foreign ministry to the U.S. State Department last month, seen by Reuters, said "we will not allow Syria to become a source of threat to any party, including Israel." More recently, Syria's leadership has shown goodwill by approving the handover of a trove of long-dead Israeli master spy Eli Cohen's belongings. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
GMA Network
27-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Exclusive: Syria and Israel in direct talks focused on security, sources say
An Israeli military vehicle is seen near the border between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Syria, May 4, 2025. (REUTERS/Shir Torem/File Photo) DAMASCUS/AMMAN —Israel and Syria are in direct contact and have in recent weeks held face-to-face meetings aimed at calming tensions and preventing conflict in the border region between the two longtime foes, five people familiar with the matter said. The contacts mark a significant development in ties between states that have been on opposite sides of conflict in the Middle East for decades, as the U.S. encourages the new Islamist rulers in Damascus to establish relations with Israel and Israel eases its bombardment of Syria. They also build on back-channel talks via intermediaries since Islamist rebels Hayat Tahrir al-Sham toppled Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad in December, said two Syrian and two Western sources, as well as a regional intelligence source familiar with the matter. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject for two nations with no official ties and a history of enmity. The direct talks and their scope have not been previously reported. On the Syrian side, the sources said contacts have been led by senior security official Ahmad al-Dalati, who was appointed governor of the province of Quneitra, which borders the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, after the fall of Assad. Earlier this week, Dalati was also put in charge of security in the southern province of Sweida, home to Syria's Druze minority. In a statement to Syria's government-owned Ekhbariya, Dalati said: "I categorically deny my participation in any direct negotiation sessions with the Israeli side." "The Syrian leadership continues to take all necessary measures to protect the Syrian people and defend the sovereignty and unity of the Republic's lands, using all lawful means." Reuters could not determine who participated on Israel's side, though two of the sources said they were security officials. Three of the sources said there had been several rounds of in-person meetings in the border region, including in territory controlled by Israel. Israel's foreign ministry and Syrian officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Earlier this month, Syrian interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa confirmed indirect talks with Israel that he said were aimed at calming tensions, a striking admission that followed a Reuters report that the UAE was mediating such talks. Israel has occupied the Syrian Golan Heights since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and took more territory in the aftermath of Assad's ouster in December, citing lingering concerns over the extremist past of the country's new rulers. It has also waged a campaign of aerial bombardment that destroyed much of the country's military infrastructure, while at the same time lobbying Washington to keep the country weak and decentralized. But the bombing and the criticism have subsided in recent weeks. On May 14, a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Sharaa in Riyadh upended decades of U.S. Syria policy, and signalled to Israel's right-wing government that it should work to reach understandings with Sharaa. The regional intelligence source described Trump's engagement with Sharaa as a pivotal part of a realignment in U.S. policy that upset Israel's post-Assad strategy of exploiting Syria's fragmentation. Broader misunderstanding? The relative calm in May has also seen a reduction in tensions around Sweida, which saw days of bloody clashes between Druze armed factions, some of which enjoy Israeli backing, and Sunni Muslim fighters last month. Amid the violence, Israel had launched a series of airstrikes, including one just outside the presidential palace overlooking Damascus, which it framed as a warning over threats against the Druze, an offshoot of Islam with adherents in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. While the direct talks are currently focused on joint security, such as preventing conflict and reducing Israeli incursions into Syrian border villages, two of the sources said they may help pave the way for broader political understandings. "For now, they are about peace, as in the absence of war, rather than normalization," said the person familiar with backchannel talks. Trump indicated after meeting Sharaa that the Syrian leader was willing to eventually normalize ties with Israel, while adding that it would take some time. Sharaa has not commented on the statement, saying instead that he supported a return to the terms of a 1974 ceasefire agreement that created a U.N. buffer zone in the Golan Heights. Syria's new rulers have made repeated efforts to show they pose no threat to Israel, meeting representatives of the Jewish community in Damascus and abroad and detaining two senior members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which participated in the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel. A letter sent by Syria's foreign ministry to the U.S. State Department last month, seen by Reuters, said "we will not allow Syria to become a source of threat to any party, including Israel." More recently, Syria's leadership has shown goodwill by approving the handover of a trove of long-dead Israeli master spy Eli Cohen's belongings.—Reuters
Epoch Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Syrian Leader to Skip Baghdad Summit, Highlighting Region's Sunni-Shiite Divide
Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria's interim president, will not attend an upcoming Arab League Summit in Baghdad, according to reports in Syrian state media. In his stead, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani will lead the Syrian delegation at the May 17 summit, Syria's state-run Ekhbariya television channel reported on May 12. The move comes after Iraqi Shiite politicians and protesters objected to al-Sharaa's participation, citing his prior affiliation with Sunni extremist groups that had proliferated in Iraq after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Along with being Syria's interim president, al-Sharaa leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an internationally designated terrorist group with previous ties to al-Qaeda. Late last year, HTS spearheaded a Turkey-backed rebel offensive that succeeded in toppling the long-ruling regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. One month after Assad's ouster, rebel leaders aligned with HTS appointed al-Sharaa as Syria's interim president for an unspecified 'transitional phase.' Related Stories 5/1/2025 4/19/2025 Since then, al-Sharaa has visited—and received the endorsement of—several regional states, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. In mid-April, he visited Qatar, where he met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, a long-time supporter of HTS, and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed al-Sudani. At the meeting, al-Sudani urged al-Sharaa to ensure the safety of Syrian minority groups that have faced mounting sectarian violence since Assad's overthrow. He also called on Damascus to take steps against the ISIS terrorist network, which is said to still have a presence in both Iraq and Syria. While in Qatar, al-Sudani also invited al-Sharaa to attend this week's scheduled Arab League summit in Baghdad. The invitation drew criticism from Iraqi Shiite factions who accuse al-Sharaa of having ordered attacks on Shiite targets during his prior affiliation with al-Qaeda in Iraq. At one point, 57 Shiite lawmakers in Iraq's 329-seat parliament petitioned al-Sudani to withdraw the invitation and bar al-Sharaa from attending the summit. In a Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greets Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa upon his arrival at the royal palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 2, 2025. Saudi Ministry of Media via AP Protests in Basra On May 13, Rudaw reported that al-Sharaa's planned participation at the Arab Summit had sparked 'No, no to Jolani,' protesters chanted at a May 12 demonstration, according to the news agency. 'No, no to terrorism.' Formerly known as Mohamed al-Jolani, al-Sharaa fought with al-Qaeda in Iraq in the years following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and occupation of the country. Since being named Syria's interim leader, al-Sharaa has found support among Sunni-majority regional states such as Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia—all of which had long supported armed rebel groups against the Assad regime. But in Shiite-majority states like Iraq, where Shiite Iran wields considerable influence, HTS and al-Sharaa face significant opposition, both from the public and political groups aligned with Tehran. Notably, Baghdad—like Washington—has yet to formally recognize al-Sharaa's interim government. Sunni politicians in Iraq, by contrast, have voiced support for HTS and al-Sharaa, and have welcomed the latter's scheduled attendance at this week's summit. In a veiled reference to Iran-aligned political factions, Raad al-Dahlaki, the head of a major Sunni bloc in Iraq's parliament, said there were 'elements' seeking to derail Baghdad's efforts to reclaim its 'rightful place within the Arab community.' Reuters contributed to this report.
