The US Special Envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, said that the results of the negotiations held between Syria and Israel in the French capital, Paris, represented a “breakthrough,” stressing that Syria harbors no hostile intentions toward Israel.
In remarks to the Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday evening, 6 January, Barrack said that the outcome of the talks between the two sides reflects a strong and shared desire to move from denial to genuine cooperation and shared prosperity.
Barrack’s statements came after negotiations hosted by Paris on Tuesday between Syrian and Israeli delegations, with the participation of a US delegation.
A senior Israeli official told the Axios website that Syria and Israel agreed during the meeting to accelerate the pace of negotiations, hold meetings more frequently, and take confidence-building measures between the two countries.
According to Barrack, both sides are committed to building a new relationship based on transparency and partnership, helping address the legacy of the past and accelerate the construction of a future founded on cooperation.
The new Syrian government has made clear that it seeks a relationship based on respect and coexistence. In return, Israel has expressed a desire to build relations with the current Syrian leadership and believes that the former hostile regime has been replaced by one committed to cooperation and a new approach, Barrack added.
He noted that prioritizing economic opportunities, prosperity, and open dialogue constitutes a key gateway to building sustainable relations between the two sides.
Barrack said that the path of negotiations between Syria and Israel is proceeding under the leadership and inspiration of US President Donald Trump, arguing that it “consistently leads to tangible and long-term cooperation.”
Syrian-US-Israeli statement
Israel and Syria agreed during talks in the French capital, Paris, mediated by the United States, to establish a communication mechanism to coordinate on security, intelligence, and commercial issues, according to a joint statement issued on Tuesday evening, 6 January.
The statement, published by the US State Department, said that the discussions between the two sides were “productive.”
The negotiations focused on respecting Syria’s sovereignty and stability, and Israel’s security. Syria and Israel are committed to pursuing lasting security and stability arrangements for both countries.
The two sides also agreed to establish a joint integration mechanism, described as a dedicated liaison cell, to facilitate immediate and continuous coordination on intelligence sharing, military de-escalation, diplomatic engagement, and commercial opportunities, under US supervision.
The statement stressed that this mechanism will serve as a platform to address any disputes immediately and work to prevent misunderstandings.
The United States reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the implementation of these understandings, as part of broader efforts to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East.
No progress without a timeline
For his part, a Syrian official told Reuters that it would not be possible to move forward on “strategic files” in talks with Israel without a clear and binding timeline for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Syrian territories seized after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
The latest round of talks with Israel in Paris, held on Monday and Tuesday, concluded with an initiative to suspend all Israeli military activities against Syria, the official added.
The Syrian official accused Israel of stalling by exploiting technical loopholes in the talks, saying it should abandon its “expansionist mindset” for negotiations to move forward.
What did the negotiations stipulate?
The Syrian-Israeli negotiations in Paris produced what were described as “positive” results regarding the signing of a security agreement between the two sides, according to the US outlet Axios.
Axios cited Israeli and US officials directly familiar with the matter, who were not named, as saying that Syria and Israel agreed to accelerate negotiations to reach a new security agreement between the two countries.
According to the Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post, Syria, Israel, and the United States agreed to establish a joint “integration mechanism” to act as a liaison cell for exchanging intelligence information, reducing military escalation, diplomatic communication, and commercial issues.
A US official told Axios that during the Paris meeting, Washington proposed creating a joint Syrian-US-Israeli “integration cell” in the Jordanian capital, Amman, to oversee the security situation in southern Syria and host further talks on disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
The unnamed US official said that the American plan would freeze all military activities on both sides at their current positions until details are finalized within the integration cell.
Another US official told the same outlet that each side would send representatives to the integration cell to focus on diplomatic, military, intelligence, and commercial talks.
Economic zone
Damascus and Tel Aviv also agreed to begin talks in civilian fields, including medicine, energy, and agriculture, according to The Jerusalem Post, which noted that officials did not set a timeline for implementation.
In a separate report, Axios said that the United States presented a new proposal for a security agreement that includes establishing a joint economic zone on both sides of the border.
This economic zone would include wind farms, an agricultural sector, a ski resort described as the best in the Middle East, and the Druze community, “known for its hospitality,” according to the report.
The US official said that regional partners have already committed to financing the project, without naming the countries involved, Axios reported.
The Syrian delegation to the negotiations included Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and Intelligence Chief Hussein al-Salama.
The US delegation included Syria envoy Thomas Barrack, along with Steve Witkoff, the special envoy to the Middle East, and Jared Kushner, the American diplomat and son-in-law of President Donald Trump.
The Israeli side included Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, the prime minister’s military secretary Roman Gofman, and acting National Security Council head Gil Reich, according to Axios and The Jerusalem Post.
According to the Israeli newspaper, this team would serve as a permanent channel for managing sensitive exchanges between Syria and Israel. The mechanism would coordinate security messaging, facilitate diplomatic follow-up, and explore trade opportunities under US supervision, with the stated aim of reducing friction and preventing misunderstandings.
Washington welcomed these steps, describing them as “positive,” and pledged to support their implementation as part of a broader regional diplomacy linked to US President Trump’s regional plan, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Meetings in Paris
Axios reported on 4 January that senior Syrian and Israeli officials would meet in the French capital, Paris.
The outlet said, citing an Israeli official and another source familiar with the matter, that the meeting would discuss resuming negotiations over the security agreement between the two sides.
It added that the meeting comes under mediation and pressure from the US administration to reach an agreement that would help stabilize the security situation along the Syria-Israel border.
Axios noted it is possible that the Paris meeting could be a first step toward diplomatic normalization between the two sides in the future.
Syria’s state news agency SANA cited a government source on Monday, 5 January, as saying that talks with the Israeli side in Paris are primarily focused on reactivating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, in a way that would ensure Israeli forces withdraw to positions held before the 8 December 2024 lines.
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