Israeli official says attempt at security agreement with Syria failed
Israel’s attempt to conclude a security agreement with the government in Damascus was unsuccessful, a senior Israeli diplomatic official said. At the same time, he said communication channels between Israel and the Syrian authorities remain active.
As The Jerusalem Post reports, the official cited the easing of some sanctions against Syria as one reason for the complications in the negotiations. In his assessment, this reduced the Syrian side’s motivation to move toward an agreement. Another key issue was the buffer zone: Israel did not agree to an arrangement that would have required it to withdraw from this territory.
Contacts with Damascus continue
The official said that dialogue is taking place at several levels and concerns, in particular, security arrangements in southern Syria. He did not disclose the content of the negotiations, noting that the Israeli side is trying to protect its own security interests.
Violence in the West Bank
The Israeli official also said that violent incidents involving settlers in the West Bank cause diplomatic damage to Israel. At the same time, he said that from March to July, both the total number of such cases and the number of serious incidents decreased, while law enforcement measures and the number of detentions increased.
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According to him, Israeli authorities have increased their presence on the ground and are taking other measures against those involved in violence. The Foreign Ministry is also seeking to demonstrate the authorities’ actions to an international audience, including through the publication of videos of detentions and court proceedings.
Negotiations on Gaza and Lebanon
Regarding Gaza, the official said there has been no progress on the issue of Hamas disarmament, which Israel considers central. According to him, two working groups involving Israel and the Board of Peace are operating: one on Hamas disarmament and the other on humanitarian issues. Israel also links the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip to the group’s disarmament.
The official added that Israel opposes the creation of a “new UNIFIL” in Lebanon, but allows for other mechanisms, including training certain units of the Lebanese army or a verification mechanism. In his assessment, the next round of talks between Israel, the United States and Lebanon may take place in September.
