Washington sets September deadline for Syria-Israel security agreement

The administration of US President Donald Trump has intensified diplomatic efforts to secure a landmark security agreement between longtime adversaries Syria and Israel, with sources indicating a target date in September.

According to the Arab press, the deal could be announced or signed on September 25, coinciding with the UN General Assembly. Trump plans to use the global stage to host a meeting between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the US president participating personally.

Al-Sharaa is scheduled to deliver a speech to the General Assembly on September 25, marking the first address by a Syrian president at the annual gathering in decades. Netanyahu is set to speak the following day. US officials aim to finalise the security agreement shortly after al-Sharaa’s address, which is expected to be a significant milestone in Middle East diplomacy.

The move follows al-Sharaa’s statements that “advanced negotiations” are ongoing with Israel on security arrangements, with 80% of the main issues reportedly resolved. He expressed confidence in a “high probability” of reaching an agreement that would include mutual security guarantees, notably demilitarized zones along the Golan Heights border.

Analysts note that such a breakthrough would represent a major political success for the Trump administration, potentially ending military confrontations that have persisted since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government last December.

If finalized, the agreement would be the first formal pact between Syria and Israel since the 1974 disengagement deal, offering a possible path to reduce decades of hostility exacerbated by Syria’s civil war and Israeli strikes against Iranian-backed forces.

By Tamilla Hasanova