Report: Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Meets Syrian Foreign Minister in Paris Tonight

SadaNews - Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, is set to meet Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani in the French capital, Paris, tonight, according to an Israeli report this Tuesday evening. Israeli Channel 12 reported that "Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, will meet tonight in Paris with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and U.S. envoy to Syria, Thomas Barak." It added that their meeting comes "to discuss security arrangements on the borders between the two countries," according to unnamed sources. This comes as Israeli reports indicated last week that a new meeting is likely to be held between Dermer, the Syrian Foreign Minister, and the U.S. envoy in Paris. Channel 12 then quoted informed sources as saying that "the meeting between Dermer and al-Shaibani has been postponed to next week, due to the need for more time to prepare it appropriately." The sources mentioned that "the administration of (U.S. President Donald) Trump is trying to mediate between Israel and Syria to reach an agreement to establish a 'humanitarian corridor' between Israel and the city of Sweida in southern Syria, to transfer aid to the Druze citizens." Channel 12 reported that "an agreement between the Israeli government and the Syrian government regarding the transfer of 'humanitarian aid' to the Druze in Sweida could represent an important step in building trust between the two sides and assist U.S. efforts in pushing for additional arrangements, paving the way for potential normalization of relations in the future." It pointed out that "this agreement to establish a 'humanitarian corridor' could also help stabilize the situation in Sweida, prevent a humanitarian crisis, and reduce tension in the region"; a justification Israel is attempting to exploit to find a foothold in Syria in areas where its forces are infiltrating. Since coming to power last December, the transitional authorities have acknowledged the occurrence of indirect negotiations with Israel. Damascus emphasizes that the aim of the talks is to contain escalation after Israel has launched hundreds of aggressive airstrikes on Syria and its forces have infiltrated southern parts of the country following the overthrow of Assad. A previous meeting was held in Paris following violent incidents in the province of Sweida that erupted on July 13, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,400 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The violence in Sweida began with clashes between local militants and others from the Bedouins, then escalated into bloody confrontations after government forces intervened. During this period, Israel carried out aggressive strikes on targets in Syria, including the presidential palace and the headquarters of the General Staff in Damascus. Washington announced on the night of July 18-19 that Syria and Israel agreed to a ceasefire between them.