Ynet: Israeli and Syrian officials met in Azerbaijan

Published: 2025-05-16 06:13

"Senior IDF and National Security Council officials met with Syrian regime officials in Baku, as part of broader talks with Turkey regarding Syria," reports Ynet, Israel’s most-visited news website.

"After a handshake between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and U.S. President Donald Trump, Israel is shifting its stance toward the new Syrian regime, softening its tone toward Damascus... But last week, amid reports of a backchannel between the two sides, IDF Operations Directorate head Maj. Gen. Oded Basyuk met with senior al-Sharaa officials in Baku, Azerbaijan," Ynet notes.

"Al-Sharaa recently secured the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria. Despite initial reservations, Israeli officials view Trump’s decision positively, seeing it as a potential move to distance Syria from Iran—and perhaps, down the line, as a step toward including Syria in the Abraham Accords once the country stabilizes," Ynet adds.

By Azerbaijani-Israeli Alliance Global News