Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel is currently in talks to establish a demilitarised zone in southern Syria and a humanitarian corridor to support the Druze minority in the region.
The statement was made during a meeting with Druze community representatives in Israel, according to a video released by his office.
Netanyahu acknowledged that the discussions are taking place with the new Syrian authorities, without naming them. Earlier, the Syrian news agency SANA reported a meeting on August 19 in Paris between Syrian and Israeli officials to discuss stability in southern Syria. The French government confirmed that Paris facilitated the meetings with U.S. mediation.
According to Netanyahu, the efforts focus on three main areas: protecting the Druze in the Sweida province, creating a demilitarised zone stretching from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to south of Damascus, and establishing a humanitarian corridor to deliver food, construction materials, and medical aid.
The situation in Syria remains tense, with Israel conducting regular airstrikes in southern Damascus. The Druze, a minority of the Ismaili branch of Shia Islam, also live in Lebanon and Israel and are considered heterodox by both Sunni and Shia communities.
Israeli authorities emphasise that their actions aim to safeguard security and regional stability.
