Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar briefed the Knesset, during a closed session, on talks held between Tel Aviv and Damascus with the aim of discussing “possible security arrangement” brokered by the United States, Hebrew newspaper Maariv revealed.
The paper said the session was held by the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee on Tuesday, during which Sa’ar explained that ‘Israel’ had engaged in unofficial channels of communication with Syria in recent months.
The Israeli FM, during the secret session, explored the possibility of reaching understandings that would safeguard the security of the Zionist entity’s northern border, according to the paper.
The daily said Sa’ar emphasized that Tel Aviv was “open to considering the agreement, but only under conditions that guarantee its security and operational capabilities.”
“We held talks to reach a security agreement with Syria… We want an agreement, but only on our terms. We must be able to continue deterring threats near the border, and that is why our presence at certain strategic points like Mount Hermon is essential,” Maariv quoted Sa’ar as saying.
The newspaper points out that these statements reflect a consistent Israeli position that any future arrangement must maintain Israeli control over sensitive high-altitude sites, most notably Mount Hermon, which is considered as a “key pillar of the early warning system on the northern front,” according to Maariv.
Meanwhile, according to the newspaper, “quiet talks are underway with the support of Washington, which is working to reduce the level of confrontation between Damascus and Tel Aviv.”
The talks “explore steps that could lead to a security arrangement that includes limiting the deployment of heavy Syrian forces near the border, in exchange for reducing Israeli operations inside Syrian territory,” the newspaper added.
Earlier in November Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa said that his government is currently negotiating with the Zionist entity, noting that a comprehensive so-called peace deal with ‘Israel’ is contingent upon the latter’s full withdrawal to the borders existing prior to December 8.
Reuters news agency reported last May that Syria and the Zionist entity were in direct contact and had held face-to-face meetings aimed at calming tensions and preventing conflict in the border region.
Source: Hebrew media (translated and edited by Al-Manar)
