A once-unthinkable diplomatic thaw between Israel and Syria is quietly unfolding, driven by bold backchannel diplomacy, strategic calculations, and a shared desire to stabilize the region.

UAE Meeting Sparks New Era

As first reported by i24 News, in a clandestine April 13 summit in Abu Dhabi, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met face-to-face with senior Israeli security chiefs, laying the foundation for ongoing peace and normalization negotiations between Jerusalem and Damascus.

The historic meeting, facilitated by Emirati mediation, included top officials from Israel’s Mossad, the National Security Council, and IDF Intelligence Directorate, marking the first direct, high-level contact between the two nations in decades.

“This meeting changed everything,” a Syrian source with direct knowledge of the talks told i24NEWS. “It opened a new phase in Israel-Syria relations, setting the stage for direct, structured dialogue and ongoing coordination.”

🔴 Israel laid groundwork to form Syria ties through UAE in April meeting with President Ahmed al-Sharaa - @ariel_oseran breaks down what the potential deal will entail by the end of 2025:https://t.co/ScfEQGApVs

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) July 1, 2025

From Secret Calls to Security Coordination

Following the UAE summit, direct phone calls between senior Israeli and Syrian officials have become routine, focusing on security coordination in southern Syria, stabilizing border regions, and preventing Iranian-backed militias from dragging the region back into chaos.

“These are not empty calls,” the Syrian source noted. “Real-time intelligence sharing and operational deconfliction are already happening.”

Gradual Path Toward Peace by 2025

Negotiations are expected to progress in three calculated stages:

Phase One: Security and Military Agreement

• Renew mutual recognition of the 1974 Armistice Agreement.

• Establish formal channels for security coordination.

• Create a demilitarized framework to prevent border clashes. 

  Israel Eyes Ties With Syria and Lebanon After Iran War https://t.co/zKlXUPaP3p

  — Algemeiner (@Algemeiner) June 30, 2025

Phase Two: Israeli Withdrawal and Golan Talks

Israel will withdraw from parts of southern Syria it seized following the collapse of the Assad regime, with negotiations over the future of the Golan Heights to follow.

The Syrian side, according to the source, is showing “unprecedented flexibility” regarding the Golan Heights, hinting at creative solutions such as shared administration, economic cooperation, or long-term leasing frameworks.

“Peace will not be achieved without concessions from all parties,” the source emphasized. “President al-Sharaa truly wants peace with Israel and expressed this directly to President Trump and U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack.”

Reading the tea leaves on this - Syria will be making an official peace deal with Israel very soon, brokered by President @realDonaldTrump! https://t.co/gTOGFL3Se0

— Bryan E. Leib (@BryanLeibFL) June 30, 2025

Phase Three: Recognition and Guarantees

Israel will:

• Recognize Syria’s sovereignty and territorial unity.

• Cease military strikes inside Syrian territory.

• Halt interference in Syrian domestic affairs, including the status of the Druze, Alawite, and Kurdish minorities.

The Trump Factor and Regional Shifts

The reported discussions align with U.S. President Donald Trump’s strategy to expand the Abraham Accords, stabilize Syria without Iranian interference, and push for normalization deals that reshape the Middle East’s strategic architecture.

Trump’s team, including Barrack, is reportedly monitoring the talks closely, viewing Israel-Syria normalization as a capstone achievement for Middle East policy before the end of 2025.

Reading the tea leaves on this - Syria will be making an official peace deal with Israel very soon, brokered by President @realDonaldTrump! https://t.co/gTOGFL3Se0

— Bryan E. Leib (@BryanLeibFL) June 30, 2025

A Calculated Gamble

For Israel, peace with Syria could mean:

• Severing Iran’s land bridge to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

• Stabilizing the Golan frontier.

• Expanding the circle of normalization, further isolating Iran and its proxies.

For Syria, a peace deal could mean:

• International legitimacy and reconstruction funding.

• Reduced Israeli airstrikes on its territory.

• Security guarantees and a path back into the Arab fold.

  My op-ed in NY Post:#Syria Sharaa and others who seek prosperity via peace with #Israel are trying to emulate the UAE, whose economic hubs of Dubai and Abu Dhabi have become the envy of the region.https://t.co/nuj6hO0YAr

  — Hussain Abdul-Hussain (@hahussain) June 25, 2025

A New Middle East on the Horizon?

While significant challenges remain, the seriousness of the ongoing contacts suggests that a peace agreement by the end of 2025 is no longer a fantasy but a plausible, if fragile, goal.

If successful, it would mark one of the most significant diplomatic breakthroughs in the Middle East since the Abraham Accords, realigning regional alliances and providing a rare moment of hope in a region often defined by conflict.