The Trump administration is actively working to broker a preliminary security understanding between Israel and Syria ahead of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in September, according to i24News.
A source familiar with the ongoing discussions said, “There is a real possibility of reaching certain security agreements between the two countries by then.”
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa is scheduled to attend the General Assembly in New York on September 25, marking the first appearance by a Syrian leader at the event in years. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also expected to arrive the same day and deliver his address to the Assembly the following day.
Ongoing talks between Jerusalem and Damascus are focused on establishing updated security arrangements, including the potential for mutual demilitarization in these areas.
According to the source, Israel does not view previous agreements, such as the 1974 Disengagement Accord signed after the Yom Kippur War, as sufficient for the current geopolitical reality, especially in the wake of the October 7th massacre. “The old accords don’t reflect the new threats or regional dynamics,” the source said.
During a recent visit to Israel, U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack, accompanied by Deputy Special Envoy Morgan Ortagus, conveyed optimism that progress could be made.
Israel is reportedly insisting that any new arrangement must include concrete measures to address the security and humanitarian concerns of Syria’s Druze population, who have suffered from recent waves of violence from other factions within Syria.