Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, revealed Wednesday that Damascus is engaged in indirect talks with Israel to defuse tensions following a deadly Israeli air campaign – his first public admission of diplomacy with a longtime enemy.
Al-Sharaa, speaking during his landmark trip to Paris – his first to Europe since taking office in January – said the discussions are being conducted “through mediators,” though he did not name them.
“The goal is to calm the situation before it spins out of control,” he told reporters.
The rare comment comes as al-Sharaa seeks to rebrand a war-scarred nation under the banner of moderation and outreach.
His government toppled Bashar Assad in December, ending over two decades of Alawite rule.
Last week, Israeli warplanes struck several sites in Syria, citing threats to the country’s Druze minority from pro-government militias.
Nearly 100 were killed in subsequent clashes between al-Sharaa loyalists and Druze fighters – part of a broader eruption of violence that also engulfed coastal regions, where over 1,000 people, many Alawite civilians, died in revenge attacks.
Al-Sharaa's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) movement has repeatedly pledged to safeguard all communities. “All Syrians will be treated equally – religion or ethnicity will not divide us,” he said.
The Paris visit is being closely watched as a bellwether for Europe’s willingness to engage Syria’s new leadership.
The European Union has already begun easing sanctions, suspending measures targeting Syria’s oil, transport and banking sectors. In April, the U.K. lifted sanctions on a dozen Syrian entities, including government departments and media outlets.
Washington, however, has not recognized the al-Sharaa government, and most Assad-era sanctions remain.
Still, the U.S. Treasury in January quietly issued a six-month license allowing limited transactions with Damascus, including certain energy and financial activities.
Sources in Damascus say Syria is open to peace with Israel – under strict conditions.
Any agreement, they insist, must be rooted in international law, include the return of the Golan Heights, and affirm the creation of an independent Palestinian state.
These demands echo those made by Saudi Arabia in its own stalled normalization framework with Israel.
Although Israel has not officially responded, Syrian officials accuse Tel Aviv of using airstrikes to impose new terms while disregarding long-standing agreements.
The Golan Heights, seized by Israel in 1967 and annexed in 1981, remain internationally recognized as Syrian territory.
Despite the cautious tone, al-Sharaa’s overture marks a potential turning point. Diplomatic channels appear to be open, and while observers remain skeptical, the change in rhetoric could signal a regional recalibration.
“Reconciliation is possible,” said one Damascus official, “but only if history, law, and sovereignty are respected.”
