Israel And Syria Held Secret Security Talks

• 16.05.2025, 18:33

They went to Baku.

Israel and Syria held secret talks in Baku mediated by Azerbaijan. This is reported by Israeli news portal Ynet with reference to sources.

According to the interlocutors of the publication, Israel at the meeting with representatives of the new Syrian authorities was represented by high-ranking members of the security forces - the head of the operational department of the General Staff, Major General Oded Basiuk and representatives of the National Security Council. Turkish representatives also took part in the talks.

Sources said the sides discussed stabilizing the situation on Israel's northern border. Details were not disclosed.

The meeting was the first direct contact between Israeli security agencies and the new Syrian leadership since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime late last year. Prior to that, the talks in Baku were held between Israeli and Turkish officials who represented the interests of the new Syrian authorities.

The talks in Baku took place against the backdrop of recent statements by US President Donald Trump about plans to ease sanctions on Syria. Despite initial doubts, Israeli officials view Trump's decision favorably, seeing it as a potential step toward distancing Syria from Iran and, perhaps potentially, a step toward including Syria in the Abrahamic Accords, writes Ynet.

Donald Trump discussed Damascus' participation in the Abrahamic Accords last Wednesday during a meeting in Riyadh with Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

In March, Trump's Middle East representative Steve Whitkoff discussed Damascus' potential participation in the accords during his visit to Azerbaijan. He traveled there in coordination with the Israeli side, which wants, among other things, Azerbaijan to join the agreements.