3 days ago
Syrian and Israeli officials hold quiet meeting in Baku
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, right, and Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, second left, stand on the balcony during their meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, July 12, 2025. (Azerbaijani Presidential Press Office via AP)
Syrian and Israeli officials have held a rare face-to-face meeting in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, according to diplomatic sources — the latest sign of quiet efforts to manage tensions in the region following major shifts in Syria's political landscape.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of a visit by Syria's transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was in Baku for official talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. While President al-Sharaa did not attend the meeting, sources confirmed that the discussion focused on the recent expansion of Israel's military presence in southern Syria — a region where Israeli forces have become more active since the fall of the Assad government late last year.
A cautious step in a complex relationship
While Syria and Israel remain technically at war — and have no diplomatic relations — both sides have, in recent months, shown signs of engaging through indirect channels. Saturday's meeting is the most direct contact between the two since the political transition in Damascus, and it reflects a cautious but notable shift in tone.
Previous reports in the Israeli and Arab media have suggested that several rounds of unofficial talks have taken place over the past year, facilitated by regional actors including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Azerbaijan. Some of these discussions were reportedly attended by senior Israeli military officials and figures close to Syria's transitional leadership.
Azerbaijan's growing diplomatic role
The meeting in Baku highlights Azerbaijan's emerging role as a quiet but effective diplomatic broker in the region. With strong working ties to both Israel and Turkey — and the trust of several Arab governments — Baku has become a preferred venue for backchannel talks on sensitive issues.
In April, Azerbaijan reportedly helped defuse tensions between Israel and Turkey after an Israeli airstrike landed near Turkish forces in northern Syria. Since then, its profile as a regional facilitator has only grown.
A new gas deal for Syria
Alongside the political developments, Syria and Azerbaijan signed a new energy agreement during President al-Sharaa's visit. Under the deal, Azerbaijan will begin exporting natural gas to Syria via Turkey. The announcement, confirmed by the Azerbaijani presidency, marks a significant step in Syria's efforts to rebuild its economy and re-establish international partnerships.
It is Syria's first major energy agreement since the formation of the transitional government, and one that could lay the foundation for broader economic cooperation in the months ahead.
Looking to the past to avoid future conflict
The Syrian government has linked its engagement with Israel to the possibility of reviving the 1974 Disengagement Agreement — a deal that created a buffer zone monitored by the United Nations along the Syrian–Israeli frontier after the Yom Kippur War.
Officials in Damascus have said they are open to working with the United States to bring that framework back into effect, as a way to reduce the risk of further escalation and promote stability in southern Syria.
Since assuming office, President al-Sharaa has repeatedly called for calm, stating that Syria does not seek conflict with its neighbours. He has urged the international community to support efforts aimed at de-escalation, and to press Israel to halt its military operations on Syrian territory.
A quiet moment in a long conflict
The meeting in Baku is unlikely to lead to any immediate breakthrough. But for two countries with a long and bitter history — and whose relations have been defined more by silence than dialogue — even quiet contact is significant.
As the region continues to shift and realign after years of war, moments like these may offer a glimpse of what a more pragmatic approach to diplomacy could look like — slow, cautious, and shaped by necessity rather than grand declarations.
