In a striking diplomatic development, Syria and Israel held a rare face-to-face meeting in Paris on August 19, 2025, marking a significant—if tentative—step toward easing decades of hostility. The talks, brokered by the United States, brought Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani together with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, under the watchful mediation of US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack. According to Syria’s state-run SANA news agency and multiple international outlets, the meeting focused on de-escalating recent tensions and reviving the 1974 ceasefire agreement that had long served as a buffer between the two adversaries.
For many, the very fact that Syrian and Israeli officials sat across the table was momentous. The two countries have technically been at war since 1948, and direct talks have been exceedingly rare. This latest encounter, confirmed by a senior Trump administration official to the Associated Press, was part of a broader American push to normalize relations in a region still reeling from the aftershocks of Syria’s political upheaval late last year. “The United States continues to support any efforts that will bring lasting stability and peace between Israel and its neighbors,” the official explained, emphasizing President Donald Trump’s “vision of a prosperous Middle East” that includes a “stable Syria at peace with itself and its neighbors — including Israel.”
The road to this meeting has been anything but smooth. Tensions between Jerusalem and Damascus soared after the dramatic overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. In the ensuing chaos, Israeli forces swiftly seized control of a United Nations-patrolled buffer zone within Syria and launched airstrikes on military sites south of Damascus. Israeli officials described these actions as necessary to prevent hostile forces—particularly those aligned with Iran—from establishing a foothold along the sensitive frontier, a concern that had haunted Israeli defense planners throughout Assad’s rule.
The new Syrian government, installed amid the power vacuum, is led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander who claims to have severed ties with the militant group years ago. Al-Sharaa has publicly pledged to build a new Syria that respects the rights of minorities. However, his government’s legitimacy is questioned by many, and the country’s fragile transition has been marred by recurrent sectarian violence. According to the Associated Press, clashes in July 2025 in the southern province of Sweida pitted Bedouin clans and government forces against armed groups from the Druze religious minority, further destabilizing the region.
During the fighting, disturbing reports and videos surfaced: government forces allegedly killed Druze civilians—including a medical worker and a US citizen—while others showed fighters humiliating Druze religious leaders and desecrating their symbols. The Syrian government has promised investigations, but trust remains low. In response to the violence and in defense of the Druze, Israel dramatically escalated its intervention. Dozens of airstrikes targeted Syrian convoys around Sweida, and the headquarters of the Syrian Ministry of Defense in Damascus was hit—a rare move that underscored the seriousness with which Israel viewed the threat to the Druze, a community with strong ties to Israel and a history of military service there.
These actions, while halting the immediate violence, left Sweida city surrounded by Syrian government forces. By August 2025, the Druze described their situation as a siege, with little humanitarian aid able to reach them. The US, Turkey, and several Arab countries brokered a truce that paused most of the fighting, but the humanitarian crisis persisted. On August 19, 2025, US envoy Tom Barrack met with Israeli Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Muafak Tarif in Paris to discuss the crisis. Barrack later posted on X (formerly Twitter) about their “warm and informative meeting,” noting they had talked about “how to bring together the interests of all parties, de-escalate tensions, and build understanding.” Tarif, for his part, called the meeting “excellent,” and stressed the Druze community’s urgent needs: an end to the blockade, humanitarian aid, the return of kidnapped Druze, and American assurances of their security.
The plight of the Druze has become a flashpoint in Syria’s ongoing turmoil. Once wary of Israeli intentions, an increasing number of Druze in Syria now see Israel as a potential ally—or at least a necessary partner in their struggle for self-determination and safety. On August 16, 2025, hundreds of Druze demonstrators took to the streets of Sweida, demanding the right to self-determination. Some waved Israeli flags, a move that sparked outrage among many Syrians who viewed it as a betrayal. Videos and photos of the protest quickly spread across social media, igniting fierce debates about loyalty, survival, and the shifting allegiances in war-torn Syria.
The broader context of these developments is impossible to ignore. Israel and Syria’s conflict stretches back to the very founding of the Jewish state in 1948. The 1967 Six Day War saw Israel seize roughly two-thirds of the Golan Heights from Syria—a strategic plateau that was later annexed by Israel in 1981. Only the United States recognizes this annexation; the rest of the international community continues to view the Golan as occupied Syrian territory. In the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israel and Syria agreed to a disengagement line, establishing a demilitarized zone patrolled by UN peacekeepers. It is this arrangement that current talks aim to revive, even as the underlying disputes remain unresolved.
Despite these diplomatic stirrings, the path to real normalization remains fraught. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar made clear in June 2025 that while Israel is interested in improving ties with Syria and Lebanon, the Golan Heights “will remain part of the State of Israel” under any future agreement—a position Syria’s new government deems premature to discuss. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Sweida and the question of minority rights continue to test the region’s fragile peace.
Yet, the mere occurrence of direct talks—let alone the “understandings that support stability in the region,” as reported by SANA—signals a subtle but meaningful shift. The United States’ overt role as mediator, the involvement of regional powers, and the public engagement of minority leaders all suggest that, for the first time in years, there may be a glimmer of hope that Syria and Israel can edge back from the brink. Whether these efforts will yield lasting peace or prove another fleeting moment in a long, troubled history remains to be seen.
