Syria Says It Is Negotiating Security Deal With Israel

Syrian President Ahmed al-SharSources said on July 26, 2026, that Damascus is in active talks with Israel on a security agreement, describing the effort as part of a wider push to stabilize the region after the Bashar al-Assad government collapsed in December 2024.

Al-SharSources said the initiative is being carried forward through multiple international intermediaries and is designed to create a formal framework that reduces tensions, particularly in southern Syria. Officials portrayed the proposal as a structured de-escalation mechanism intended to limit the fallout from frequent Israeli military strikes in that area.

Security talks framed as step toward a broader process

According to al-Sharaa, the contemplated security arrangement is meant to function as an initial stage that could open the way to a more comprehensive peace process. He presented it as an attempt to codify rules that would prevent escalation and support a more predictable security environment.

At the same time, he said Damascus would not bargain over the Golan Heights, describing it as a non-negotiable territorial claim for Syria. The statement set a clear boundary for the talks, even as the administration pursues a narrower agreement focused on immediate security concerns.

Lebanon spillover and sanctions tied to stabilization agenda

Al-Sharaa also outlined a separate regional priority: containing risks linked to the conflict in Lebanon and preventing spillover into Syria. He explicitly rejected the idea of Syrian military involvement in Lebanon, arguing instead for strengthening state authority and limiting weapons to the Lebanese government.

Officials linked this emphasis on regional containment to Syria’s domestic and diplomatic objectives. The administration considers a more stable external environment necessary before it can effectively pursue the lifting of international sanctions and tackle internal political and security disputes.

Domestic files: SDF disputes and a missing persons committee

Among the internal issues cited was the long-running dispute with the Syrian Democratic Forces. The administration indicated that progress on such files is connected to the broader effort to reduce regional friction and improve Syria’s standing abroad.

In another step presented as part of a normalization track, the government said it has created a formal committee to address the fate of people missing since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011. The administration put the estimate of missing individuals at roughly 100,000 to 300,000.

Officials said the committee’s work is intended to meet international standards, which the government described as important for wider diplomatic normalization. How quickly any security arrangement with Israel could be finalized, and what specific commitments it might include, were not detailed in al-Sharaa’s announcement.