The United Arab Emirates (UAE) discreetly established a backchannel for dialogue between Israel and Syria, three sources familiar with the matter disclosed, Reuters reported.
The talks, reportedly initiated days after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to the UAE in mid-April, focus on security coordination and confidence-building measures between the two nations, which have no formal diplomatic ties.
According to a source directly involved, the discussions centre on “technical matters” linked to counterterrorism and intelligence-sharing, though the scope could expand. A senior Syrian security official emphasised the channel was strictly limited to security issues, excluding direct military concerns such as Israeli operations in Syria.
The UAE’s role as mediator leverages its diplomatic ties with Israel, formalised under the 2020 Abraham Accords, and its growing engagement with Syria’s new leadership. Sources revealed that Emirati security officials, Syrian intelligence figures, and former Israeli intelligence personnel are involved in the mechanism.
The initiative predates recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria, including a strike within 500 metres of Damascus’ presidential palace last week. While Israel framed the attacks as a warning against threats to Syria’s Druze minority, Damascus condemned them as foreign interference.
Israel, meanwhile, remains wary of Syria’s Islamist-leaning leadership and its ties to Iran and Hezbollah. Its military intensified strikes in Syria since Bashar al-Assad’s fall, targeting what it describes as militant infrastructure. With regional stability at stake, the talks underscore Abu Dhabi’s balancing act as it navigates one of the Middle East’s most entrenched rivalries.
