JERUSALEM, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Israel and Syria have resumed talks aimed at easing tensions along their shared border after a months-long hiatus, Israel's Prime Minister's Office said on Tuesday, as a new round of negotiations began in Paris.
In a statement, the office said the dialogue was being mediated by the United States. Israel said the two sides agreed to continue talks "to advance shared objectives and safeguard the security of the Druze minority in Syria."
The U.S. State Department later issued a joint statement with Syria and Israel saying the parties had agreed to establish a "joint fusion mechanism" -- a dedicated communication cell -- to enable ongoing coordination on intelligence sharing, military de-escalation, diplomatic engagement, and commercial opportunities, under U.S. supervision.
Syria's state-run SANA news agency said the discussions focused on re-establishing a United Nations-monitored buffer zone between Syrian and Israeli forces on the Golan Heights, as set out in the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, and on an Israeli withdrawal to positions held before Dec. 8, 2024. The joint statement did not refer to the buffer zone.
After the fall of President Bashar al-Assad's government in late 2024, Israeli forces expanded their presence on the Golan Heights, moving into the demilitarised buffer zone -- a step Syria has described as a violation of the agreement.
According to SANA, the Syrian delegation is led by Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and General Intelligence chief Hussein al-Salama, representing the interim Syrian government.
Previous rounds of talks were suspended for months amid repeated Israeli military operations inside Syrian territory. ■
