ALBAWABA - Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani told Reuters on Satuday that talks with Israel regarding a 'security deal' were halted following Tel Aviv's strike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase.
Al-Shaibani said he expects talks on the security deal, which he hopes would lead to Israeli soldiers' withdrawal from Syrian territory, to resume soon.
The Syrian FM further urged Israel to seize this chance, which he called a "historic opportunity," noting that the door was open to diplomacy to end the conflict between the two countries.
He noted that Syria wants to halt Israeli attacks, saying "confidence-building steps were needed in this direction."
A man speaks with a child while sitting near an unexploded artillery shell that fell during reported overnight Israeli bombardment that hit the village of Abidin in Syria's southwestern Daraa province, close to the Golan Heights, on June 29, 2026. Photo by SAM HARIRI / AFP
"We believe there should be contact, especially with a party that constantly threatens the security of Syria. But if this contact doesn’t bring results, then we don’t need it," al-Shaibani told Reuters.
For over a year, Washington has been trying to broker a security agreement between Israel and the government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a new U.S. ally in the Middle East, who was hosted by Trump twice in the White House.
However, this agreement remains elusive, as Israel has sent troops into Syrian territory and attacked government positions, citing threats to its security.
