YONI BEN MENACHEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit Washington soon to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, aiming to coordinate efforts to advance normalization between Israel and Arab states.
Ahead of this, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer will travel to Washington to prepare the meeting.
Senior sources in Jerusalem report growing behind-the-scenes diplomatic activity between Syria and Israel in recent weeks. Arab media claim indirect talks are underway between the two countries, mediated internationally, seeking both to de-escalate tensions in southern Syria and explore a potential peace agreement – the first since talks failed in the 1990s.
According to “Al-Quds Al-Arabi,” a senior Syrian source said negotiations are underway for a phased agreement, involving an Israeli withdrawal from territories captured since December 2024 – including the Syrian side of Mount Hermon – in exchange for a new buffer zone in the Golan Heights. The goal: a signed deal by the end of 2025.