UAE Quietly Facilitates Israel-Syria Intelligence Talks Amid Rising Regional Tensions
The United Arab Emirates has reportedly played a behind-the-scenes role in arranging confidential security discussions between Israel and Syria, aimed at improving intelligence-sharing and enhancing counterterrorism coordination, according to a report by Reuters.
These private discussions are reportedly the result of Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa’s April 13 visit to Abu Dhabi, where he met with UAE leaders behind closed doors. Despite subsequently confirming in a press briefing in Paris that Syria was involved in “indirect negotiations via mediators,” UAE authorities have denied serving as intermediaries, calling such claims “categorically false.”
Although military actions, including recent Israeli airstrikes near Damascus, are not on the agenda, sources say the talks involve senior Syrian security officials and former Israeli intelligence officers despite the denials.
The timing of these talks is notable, given recent sectarian violence in Suweida and Israeli strikes targeting perceived threats to the Druze community in Syria. Damascus is believed to have reached out to the UAE for help due to Abu Dhabi’s normalized ties with Israel following the Abraham Accords of 2020.
Syria’s newly installed leadership, viewed with suspicion by some in the region for its Islamist-leaning stance, appears eager to rebuild credibility. Detaining Palestinian extremist groups and assuring the United States that Syrian territory will not be used to harm Israel are only two of the government’s overt measures to reassure international partners.
Although these actions point to a cautious strategic change, observers are still doubtful about Syria’s long-term goals, and it is unclear how this secret discourse will affect the region as a whole.