Israel and Syria are set to meet in Azerbaijan on Thursday for a new round of security talks, with discussions centred on an Israeli proposal for a buffer-zone agreement modelled on the 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, according to Sky News Arabia.
The talks in Baku follow reports by Axios that Israel has presented Damascus with a draft agreement involving security arrangements southwest of the Syrian capital.
According to informed sources, the proposal mirrors Israel’s peace deal with Egypt, which divided the Sinai Peninsula into three demilitarised zones. Israel has suggested that Syrian territory from Damascus to the Israeli border be divided into three areas with varying limits on troop deployments and weaponry.
The plan also calls for a two-kilometre expansion of the existing buffer zone on the Syrian side. In the strip adjacent to the Israeli border, Syrian forces would be barred from deploying heavy weapons or aircraft but could maintain police and internal security units. The entire southwest sector would become a no-fly zone for Syrian aircraft, sources said.
In return, Israel has offered a phased withdrawal from territories it occupied in Syria in recent months, though it insists on retaining its position on Mount Hermon. One source told Axios the proposal is also designed to preserve Israel’s ability to use Syrian airspace as a corridor for potential strikes against Iran.
Damascus has yet to issue a formal response but is preparing a counter-proposal, according to the reports. Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Sheibani and Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer are expected to review the plan on Wednesday in London, alongside U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, at what would be their third trilateral session.
Axios further reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signalled interest in meeting Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa during the Unted Nations General Assembly later this month, though officials say the chances of such a meeting remain slim.
Russian ballistic missile strikes on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has killed at least eight people and injured more than two do...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 20th of August, covering the latest developments. ...
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to res...
The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Two days inside Uzbekistan’s newsrooms, hospitals, factories and technology hubs reveal a country eager to show how it is changing — while that transformation is still under way.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday for a two-day visit, marking the first trip by Syria’s top diplomat to Pakistan in 19 years as Damascus seeks to deepen ties with the country.
More than a year after Pakistan and India were involved in their most serious military confrontation in decades, a key airspace restriction between the nuclear-armed neighbours remains in force.
Uzbekistan has unveiled a sweeping package of business reforms, including easier access to loans, $1 billion in export support, a three-year moratorium on most inspections and stronger protections for entrepreneurs.
Afghan business representatives are seeking new trade and investment opportunities at Iran’s 26th International Building Industry Exhibition, as they look to expand ties with Iranian and international companies.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment