Israeli Media: Netanyahu to Inform Washington Within Days of His Representative in Syria Negotiations

SadaNews - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to inform the United States within days of Tel Aviv's new representative in negotiations with Syria, succeeding the resigned Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, according to Israeli media.

Channel 12 reported that two American officials stated Netanyahu informed U.S. envoy Tom Barrack in their meeting last Monday that he would appoint a representative for negotiations with Syria to replace Dermer, who had been leading the file until his resignation.

Dermer, who resigned on November 11, had conducted four rounds of negotiations regarding a security agreement with Damascus, but the talks have stalled in recent weeks following his resignation, according to the channel.

The channel mentioned that Barrack told Netanyahu during their meeting that he wished to resume negotiations concerning a security agreement between Israel and Syria, but he questioned who would lead them from Israel's side.

Americans believed, according to the channel, that Dermer would continue the negotiations from outside the government as Netanyahu's special envoy, but a senior American official told the channel that Netanyahu made it clear in the meeting that Dermer would not handle the issue, and that he (Netanyahu) would appoint someone in his place, and he would inform the (U.S. President Donald) Trump administration of this within days.

Since the negotiations are about a new security agreement on the border, Netanyahu, according to the same source, intends to appoint someone with security experience, possibly someone currently holding a position in the security establishment.

According to the channel, the aim of the meeting between Netanyahu and Barrack - among other things - was what it described as clearing the atmosphere and reducing tensions and doubts between the two parties (Israeli and Syrian), and American officials reported that the goal was achieved.

Recently, Israeli incursions into southern Syria have become almost daily, intertwined with arrests, setting up checkpoints, and destroying forests, which has increased popular anger against Tel Aviv.

On November 28, the Israeli army killed 13 Syrians in airstrikes targeting the town of Beit Jinn in the countryside of Damascus (south), following a brief incursion that was met with clashes from Syrians attempting to defend their lands.

On Monday, Channel 12 reported that the Trump administration views Netanyahu's actions as destabilizing Syria and hindering U.S. efforts to assist the government of (President Ahmad al-Shara) and reach a new security agreement between Syria and Israel.

On December 7, Syrian Foreign Minister As'ad al-Shabani stated that Damascus cannot proceed with a security agreement with Israel while it occupies new parts of the country.

After the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime on December 8, 2024, Israel announced the collapse of the disengagement agreement signed with Syria in 1974 and occupied the Syrian buffer zone.

Syrians say that the continued Israeli violations limit their ability to restore stability and hinder government efforts to attract investments aimed at improving the economic situation.