Normalisation could be a step too far, but the return to a peace deal could be near. Following almost 14 years of conflict in Syria, the new regime is re-setting its relations in the Middle East, and much attention is on what will occur with Israel.
There have been reports of negotiations between Israel and Syria, even timelines being discussed for possible normalisation between the nations, which have technically been at conflict since the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
Syria and Israel have conducted direct negotiations, Israeli media have reported, over possibly signing a normalisation agreement.
There has reportedly been contact between the two states facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, which opened up a backchannel for communication. Any deal would probably be an extension of the Abraham Accords, a deal facilitated by the United States between Israel and some Arab countries.
The Abraham Accords were a bottom-up move by Donald Trump in his first presidential term to persuade Arab countries to formalise relations with Israel.
They were initiated in August and September 2020 by the UAE and Bahrain, and later joined by Sudan and Morocco. Since that time, Trump has sought to widen the accords by encouraging additional nations to sign treaties with Israel.
In May, Trump travelled to three nations in the Middle East, and during a visit to Saudi Arabia, he met Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and urged him to normalise relations with Israel.
