‘Israel’-Syria ties dramatic development in Middle East: Israeli media

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
11 Jul 2025 12:59
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Israeli-Syrian ties, though dramatic if normalized, are the least publicly spoken about out in the open.

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The Syrian flag is pictured as French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa before their talks Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AP)

Israeli-Syrian ties were the topic least debated in public, despite being one of the hot topics discussed behind closed-door meetings between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump at the White House, Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

Though absent from public discourse, the newspaper describes the topic as one of the most dramatically significant undercurrents in recent diplomacy. According to the report, efforts to normalize ties between Tel Aviv and Damascus could allow Syria’s leadership to claim a major political breakthrough before its citizens.

The paper claims that normalization, however limited, could serve as a springboard for broader regional stability and act as a catalyst for renewed “peace talks” across the Middle East. It speculates that the evolving dynamic might eventually lead to a partial reconfiguration of ties between “Israel” and Syria’s post-conflict regime.

One potential gesture mentioned is the return of the remains of Israeli spy Eli Cohen, executed in Syria in 1965, as part of a series of mutual confidence-building measures.

"Why could this meeting change the rules of the game?" the report asks, highlighting the potentially dramatic nature of such diplomacy.

Furthermore, Ynet suggests “Israel” might consider withdrawing from the demilitarized buffer zone in exchange for firm security guarantees from the US and not the UN. This would, according to the paper, allow “Israel’ to act “preemptively” in the event of intelligence pointing to any military movement near the border, similar to the threat it faces from Hezbollah in Lebanon.

From diplomacy to investment

The report further notes that such steps could pave the way for an expanded diplomatic process, starting with formalizing bilateral relations, followed by reforms in Syria’s educational system and even Israeli support for agricultural development in border regions.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth, “If peace efforts between Israel and Syria progress and the relationship stabilizes, moderate Sunni states such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates would be more inclined to invest in Syria without the looming fear of war.” This, in turn, would significantly reduce the financial risks tied to major investments.

The newspaper also links the potential thaw in “Israel”-Syria relations to broader US ambitions in the region. It argues that Trump’s push to expand the so-called “Abraham Accords” could bolster his status, positioning him as a frontrunner for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is on his checklist.

Such a diplomatic win, the article suggests, would serve as a cornerstone of Trump's agenda to “Make America Great Again,” both by reasserting US influence in the Middle East and positioning the United States as a central player in the reconstruction and development of a post-war Syria.