Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and other senior officials conveyed a message to senior members of the American administration, as well as other figures with whom they had recently met, affirming that Israel and Syria were on the brink of reaching a security agreement.
“We are on the verge of a security agreement between Israel and Syria,” the Syrian leaders said.
The Syrian president, who arrived in the United States on Sunday ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, publicly declared in recent days that there could soon be results from the ongoing security talks with Israel.
“Following this agreement, additional accords could be reached. However, peace and normalization with Israel are not currently on the agenda,” Sharaa added.
Syrian officials told the US administration that a deal could be based on the 1974 disengagement agreement signed after the Yom Kippur War. It would include guarantees for the security of Syria’s Druze community.
These statements have led to a degree of pressure from US officials on Israel to show greater flexibility on certain disputed issues.
A cooler tone in Israel
In Israel, however, the tone is less optimistic.
Officials acknowledge that there has been progress - perhaps even significant progress - but are uncertain whether an agreement can be finalized this week.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a small group of ministers on Sunday evening to discuss the ongoing negotiations with Syria.