A diplomatic source at Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates disclosed details of the Syrian-Israeli meeting held on Sunday, August 23, in Jordan.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), citing the diplomatic source, said the discussions focused on establishing practical mechanisms to halt Israeli attacks, arrests, and targeting operations, and on reviving negotiations to reach a security agreement that could serve as the basis for a more comprehensive future agreement.

The discussions also addressed the importance of supporting stability in Syria and safeguarding regional security, including efforts to bring the positions of Turkey and Israel closer and ensure that existing tensions between the two countries do not spill over onto Syrian territory.

According to the source, the meeting focused on practical steps to reduce escalation and on ways to resume negotiations. Syria stressed that any security arrangements must respect its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and sovereign rights.

The source said the Syrian side emphasized during the meeting that Syria is a sovereign state with the full right to rebuild and develop its national army and determine its alliances and partnerships in line with its national interests. It rejected any arrangements or mechanisms that would restrict those sovereign rights.

The Syrian side also reiterated its longstanding position that the occupied Golan is Syrian territory, noting that discussion of its final status and the path toward resolving it remains premature at the current stage.

The source added that the immediate priority is the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the lines they held before December 8, 2024, along with the reactivation and full implementation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

The source said Foreign Minister and Expatriates Asaad al-Shaibani headed the Syrian delegation at the meeting, accompanied by the heads of General Intelligence and Military Intelligence. At the same time, a senior Israeli delegation also participated.

He added that the meeting took place under US mediation and was hosted by Jordan as part of efforts to reduce escalation and support stability in Syria and the region.

US news website Axios reported on Sunday, August 23, that a high-level meeting had brought together Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Israeli Mossad chief Roman Gofman in Jordan.

The meeting was held in an attempt to reduce tensions between Damascus and Tel Aviv following an Israeli strike targeting Abu al-Duhur military airport in rural Idlib (northwestern Syria).

According to Israel’s Channel 12, a source familiar with the details of the meeting said the talks between the two sides “were productive,” marking the first publicly stated Israeli assessment of the meeting.

Damascus Expects Negotiations to Resume

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani gave an interview to Reuters, published on Sunday, August 23, in which he said Damascus is seeking de-escalation in the region and a resumption of dialogue with Israel despite the lack of trust between the two sides.

The Syrian foreign minister outlined Damascus’s position on negotiations with Israel amid rising tensions between Tel Aviv and Ankara, which have affected Syrian territory.

At the same time, he stressed that Syria would not abandon Turkish support and expressed gratitude for Turkey’s assistance in rebuilding the Syrian army.

Al-Shaibani said Syria expects negotiations with Israel over a security agreement to resume soon and hopes such an agreement will lead to Israel’s withdrawal from Syrian territory.

He added that the Israeli government had tried to maintain its security through brute force but had not succeeded anywhere. He said no date had been set for negotiations to resume, despite continued US efforts to pressure Israel to return to the negotiating table.

Al-Shaibani said the Syrian government has great hopes of building stable relations with its neighbors, despite the difficulty of relying on Israel. He added that Damascus is extending its hand in pursuit of understanding, peace, diplomacy, and regional stability.