ALWAGHT- The covert talks between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Israeli intelligence, backed by the UAE and brokered by associates of Trump, culminating in the removal of US sanctions despite allegations of massacres, reflect Damascus’ deliberate move away from the resistance bloc.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa held a secret meeting with senior Israeli intelligence officials in the United Arab Emirates in April 2025, facilitated by the UAE. This marked a significant shift from Syria’s longstanding rejection of Israel. The meeting included top figures from the Israeli Mossad, National Security Council, and military intelligence, and aimed to establish a gradual normalization process starting with military and intelligence coordination, potentially leading to Israeli withdrawal from parts of southern Syria and future negotiations over the Golan Heights.
The normalization talks envision several stages: signing a security and military agreement reaffirming the 1974 Armistice, followed by Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas, and then discussions on the Golan Heights, where Syria has indicated a willingness to show flexibility. However, Israeli officials, including Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, have firmly stated the Golan will remain part of Israel. The talks are framed as requiring concessions from all sides, but notably exclude any reference to the Palestinian territories or Gaza, raising concerns about broader regional justice.
These developments occur amid troubling reports of massacres and human rights abuses by Syria’s new leadership after Bashar al-Assad’s ouster. Despite this, the US under Donald Trump lifted decades-old sanctions on Syria in May 2025, facilitating Western-backed reintegration. The normalization effort is supported by Trump-aligned figures and reflects a strategic pivot by Damascus away from its historic resistance alliance, as Syria quietly cooperates with Israel while ignoring ongoing Israeli occupation and violence in the region.
