Syria’s foreign minister says negotiations with Israel on a security arrangement are expected to resume soon, even though Damascus does not trust Israel. Asaad al-Shaibani, speaking in Damascus, calls for Israel to take what he describes as a “historic opportunity,” saying Syria wants a deal that could ultimately lead to Israel withdrawing from Syrian territory.
Al-Shaibani also links the push for diplomacy to immediate security concerns. He says Syria’s priority is stopping Israeli attacks and that confidence-building steps are needed to achieve that first. The comments come days after Israel bombed a Syrian airbase, in a context that outlets describe as tense and dependent on practical measures to reduce violence.
Across the available reporting, there is broad agreement that Syria signals an intent to reopen talks while emphasizing the absence of mutual trust and the need for steps focused on halting attacks before broader progress.
