Israel, Syria hold secret security talks in Jordan as part of broader peace initiative

High-level talks between senior Israeli security officials and representatives of the Syrian government were recently held in Jordan, according to a report by the Lebanese daily Al Akhbar.

The meeting, which took place in a discreet format, reportedly mirrored the structure of earlier negotiations held in Azerbaijan.

The central topic of the discussions was the potential creation of a broad buffer zone in southern Syria. Sources cited by the newspaper indicated that if an agreement is reached, Damascus may consider transferring control of the area to Israeli forces—an unprecedented move in the context of Israel-Syria relations.

This meeting in Jordan appears to be part of a wider, UAE-brokered peace initiative involving Israel and Syria’s newly formed government. In one of the key stages of this process, Major General Oded Basiuk, head of the Operations Directorate of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) General Staff, held a confidential meeting in Azerbaijan with figures closely linked to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. 

Turkish officials were also present at the Azerbaijan meeting, suggesting that Türkiye is playing an active role in facilitating or observing the ongoing dialogue.

Discussions have reportedly extended beyond bilateral concerns. Participants explored Syria’s possible integration into regional diplomatic frameworks such as the Abraham Accords—a set of agreements that normalised relations between Israel and several Arab countries. There was also dialogue about reducing the persistent tensions between Israel and Türkiye, whose relations have long been marred by diplomatic friction.

Israeli officials have confirmed the existence of the talks, though they emphasise that the initiative remains in its early stages. Nevertheless, they have acknowledged the process as a rare diplomatic opening—one that could reshape regional alignments through dialogue and multilateral cooperation.

By Tamilla Hasanova