U.S. says de-escalation achieved at Syria-Israel meeting in Paris

The United States has confirmed that a meeting between Syrian and Israeli representatives in Paris resulted in progress towards de-escalation, following recent tensions in southern Syria.

“Our goal was dialogue and de-escalation, and we accomplished precisely that,” said U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack on Thursday. He added that all parties present in Paris expressed their commitment to maintaining open channels and continuing diplomatic engagement.

Although there has been no formal statement from either the Syrian or Israeli delegations, reports indicated that Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani attended the talks.

State Department Deputy Spokesman Tommy Pigott noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ambassador Barrack had been in close contact with all parties for several days ahead of the meeting.

“Syria is at a critical juncture, and we are looking to the Syrian government to lead on these steps,” Pigott said.

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