The Middle East shifts daily, yet old grievances rarely die quietly. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani recently made headlines by declaring that the door for diplomacy with Israel remains open. It sounds like a breakthrough. But look closer at the ground reality, and you will find deep mistrust, frozen security pacts, and a region perpetually on edge.
You have to ask what diplomacy actually means when warplanes are still flying.
The Illusion of a Near Agreement
Talks between Damascus and Tel Aviv haven't just stalled; they have been battered by broader conflicts. According to al-Shaibani, both nations actually agreed on paper to almost everything in a proposed security arrangement earlier. The draft framework included distinct security zones near the border, a demilitarized buffer monitored strictly by United Nations forces, and a synchronized Israeli withdrawal from Syrian territory seized after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
So why did it fall apart?
Syrian officials argue that Israel lacked the genuine political will to implement the pact. Instead of signing off on a withdrawal, Israel maintained its footprint in southwestern Syria and continued targeted strikes. Trust is non-existent. When asked about his optimism, al-Shaibani put it bluntly: it is very hard to bet on Israel.
Why the Dialogue Froze
The diplomatic track hit a brick wall when regional hostilities flared. Negotiations froze completely when the conflict involving Iran escalated, cutting off active communication channels. Matters worsened dramatically when an Israeli airstrike hit the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northern Syria.
Israel justified the bombing by claiming Damascus was preparing to let Turkish forces move into the facility. Both Syria and Turkey flatly denied those claims. Syria insists that while it relies on Turkey for military training, rebuilding support, and cooperation, the airbase was never slated to become a foreign Turkish military outpost.
Yet Israel continues to rely on brute force to manage its northern frontier. History shows that strategy rarely works long-term. Damascus maintains that brute force breeds more resistance than security.
Washington and the Pressure to Talk
The United States has spent over a year trying to force a diplomatic marriage of convenience between Israel and the administration of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Washington views Sharaa's government as a strategic partner in a reshaped Middle East. US special envoys are constantly working to establish conflict-prevention mechanisms to keep Israel, Turkey, and Syria from stumbling into a wider war.
Even so, Damascus draws a hard line. Al-Shaibani insists that any new mechanism cannot simply protect or entrench Israeli occupations. The immediate priority for Syria is simple: stop the airstrikes and cross-border raids before talking about grand peace treaties.
Only when the bombing stops can anyone seriously address the status of the Golan Heights or long-term normalization. Until then, diplomacy remains hostage to military escalations. Syria is extending a hand, but it is keeping a finger on the trigger.
