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After Decades as Enemies, Syria and Israel Now Share a Common Foe in Iran

(New York Times) Christina Goldbaum - Syria's president, Ahmed al-Shara, is engaging in discussions with Israel to resolve problems along their common border, according to Syrian, Israeli and American officials. While the goals appear modest, these are the most serious talks between them in more than a decade and a departure from the former government's animosity toward Israel. The negotiations reflect a power shift across the Middle East, where Israel and Syria now share an antipathy toward Iran. Israel and the new Syrian leadership also share security concerns about Iran-backed proxy groups, which they want to prevent from infiltrating Syria. However, Syrian officials have shown no inclination to join the Abraham Accords imminently, or otherwise normalize ties with Israel. The aim of the current talks appears to be more limited. "We're less likely to hear about the Abraham Accords in the short term and more likely to hear about de-conflicting and making sure Israel and Syria are not enemies," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, director for global social action at the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organization. Rabbi Cooper met with al-Shara last month in Damascus. Mohanad Hage Ali, a fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, said, "There seems to be an understanding taking shape on the security level. But on the political level, we haven't seen any grand gestures."
2025-07-10 00:00:00
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