Syria, Israel to set up joint cell under US on de-escalation

PARIS

Syria's new government and Israel will set up a joint group under U.S. supervision to share intelligence and seek military de-escalation on the ground, they announced on Jan. 5 after talks.

The Syrian foreign minister traveled to Paris in his country's first known meeting in months with Israel, which has pounded its historic adversary despite U.S. unease over the pressure on the fragile government.

A joint statement issued by the U.S. State Department after the talks in the French capital said that Syria and Israel were committed to "achieving lasting security and stability arrangements for both countries."

"Both sides have decided to establish a joint fusion mechanism, a dedicated communication cell, to facilitate immediate and ongoing coordination on their intelligence sharing, military de-escalation, diplomatic engagement and commercial opportunities under the supervision of the United States," the statement said.

"This mechanism will serve as a platform to address any disputes promptly and work to prevent misunderstandings."

The statement did not say Israel would refrain from further strikes or restore an agreement that was previously in place.

Israel has no diplomatic relations with Syria, which during the half-century of rule by the Assad family publicly championed the Palestinian cause and was the Arab world's key ally of Iran's clerical state, Israel's arch-enemy.

Bashar al-Assad was ousted in a lightning offensive in December 2024 by rebel forces led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, after more than a decade of brutal civil war.

U.S. President Donald Trump has met and praised Sharaa, now the interim president and an ally of Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, brushing aside Israeli skepticism.

The talks in Paris were mediated by Tom Barrack, a Trump business friend who is ambassador to Türkiye and an outspoken advocate of supporting Sharaa.