Israeli media revealed on Tuesday an upcoming meeting between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., this September ahead of the United Nations General Assembly.
The "I24News" website quoted a Syrian source close to President al-Sharaa, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as saying that the two sides will meet at the White House and are expected to sign a security agreement under the auspices of U.S. President Donald Trump. The source claimed that this move “will be the first step toward a peace agreement and normalization between the two countries.”
The "I24News" website quoted a Syrian source close to President al-Sharaa, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as saying that the two sides will meet at the White House and are expected to sign a security agreement under the auspices of U.S. President Donald Trump. The source claimed that this move “will be the first step toward a peace agreement and normalization between the two countries.”.
The report, citing Gulf sources, also highlighted that the United Arab Emirates is continuing its intensive mediation efforts between Syria and Israel, with the full knowledge and backing of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
According to the same source, the biggest obstacle remains Israel’s reluctance to commit to withdrawing its forces from the Syrian Golan Heights in the coming months. Israeli officials reportedly believe that President al-Sharaa has yet to fully assert control over all armed factions in Syria, particularly in the south.
For its part, the Israel Hayom website, citing sources close to the White House, reported that an envoy from President Trump has traveled to the Syrian capital, Damascus, to finalize the agreement between Israel and Syria within days under American guarantees.
The report noted that Trump is offering Netanyahu a deal with Syria in exchange for his approval of a Gaza agreement that would bring an end to the war.
A few days ago, U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack , revealed that the United States is sponsoring "meaningful talks" between Syria and Israel. He noted, however, that achieving peace between the two sides may take time, given the complexities of Syria’s internal situation.
In statements to The New York Times, Barrack said that the U.S. administration is facilitating indirect dialogue between Damascus and Tel Aviv as part of a diplomatic track aimed at calming the border and exploring the possibility of Syria joining the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries during the presidency of Donald Trump.
Speaking to Sky News Arabia, Dr. Samir al-Taqi, a researcher at the Middle East Institute in Washington, said that "the Israeli optimism we're witnessing toward Syria cannot be without foundation."
A-Taqi emphasized that "Israelis don’t express optimism unless it’s based on tangible developments — and it seems they are indeed receiving something concrete."
He added: "On the other hand, I believe it is unhelpful for Syria to maintain this level of ambiguity, as it raises serious questions about the country, its future, and its regional standing."
Al-Taqi went on to say: "This is not merely a security issue — it’s about closing the chapter of the Syrian-Israeli conflict in the long term."