By : JD
Jordan Daily – A secret meeting reportedly took place between five Syrian academics and businessmen linked to Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shar’a and two Israeli representatives in a private residence in a European capital, Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Monday.
According to reporter Smadar Perry, the Israeli side was surprised to learn that even senior Syrian officials appeared uncertain about President Al-Shar’a’s vision regarding Israel. The Syrians, reportedly aged between 40 and 50 and formerly affiliated with the Bashar al-Assad regime, expressed astonishment at the political shift in Syria and admitted this was their first direct engagement with Israelis.
One Syrian participant was quoted as saying, “We honestly don’t know where Syria is heading. Our president has many problems, and it’s hard to believe he wants to add Israel to them.”
The report noted the Israelis were “astonished” at the Syrians’ detailed understanding of Israeli affairs, which was attributed to years of consuming translated Israeli media and analysis.
The meeting comes amid heightened tensions following an Israeli airstrike near the Syrian presidential palace over the weekend, which the Israeli side framed as a move to protect the Druze minority in Syria. The newspaper suggested the strike was also a strategic signal, potentially aimed at destabilizing the position of what it described as an “unstable president.”
The report speculated that the covert talks could continue, with Israel simultaneously pursuing both diplomatic outreach and military pressure.
The Syrian presidency has not commented on the alleged meeting. However, Damascus has repeatedly stated that it seeks to avoid contributing to regional instability, including with regard to Israel.