Diplomatic breakthrough? Syria and Israel in Azerbaijan!

Diplomatic breakthrough? Syria and Israel in Azerbaijan!

In an important diplomatic step, the Syrian government representative, Vice President Al-Sharaa, met on July 13, 2025 in Baku with Azerbaijani President Ilham Alijew. During the meeting, gas deliveries to Syria were agreed, which is regarded as a further measure to strengthen the Syrian economy. It is striking that al-Sharaa did not take part in the parallel meeting with the Israeli representative, which indicates the tense relationship between the two countries.

The Syrian transitional government agreed to work with the United States on the revival of a ceasefire agreement, which was originally concluded with Israel in 1974. The conflict between Syria and Israel is closely related to the Golan heights, a strategically important area that has been occupied by Israel since the Jom Kippur War in 1973. In this conflict, Syria tried in vain to regain the area, which has led to an argument that has been going on for decades.

The long shadow of the conflict

between Syria and Israel has been in tensions between the two countries since the 1974 agreement. This agreement included a troop lamp agreement and the establishment of a buffer zone by the UN on the Golan heights. The task of this group, known as UNDOF, is to secure the ceasefire between the two countries. Undof was founded after the Yom Kippur War and operated in the region for 35 years.

In view of the fact that the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 led to an increase in Israeli air strikes in Syria, Israel has also sent troops to the Golan buffer zone, which is regarded by the UN as a violation of the 1974 agreement. Nevertheless, the Islamist transition government has previously held out of military counterattacks. The United States plays a central role as an intermediary in conflict and are looking for paths to clarify the processed situation.

Way to normalize

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has also spoken out for talks to normalize relationships with Syria. He emphasized that the Golan heights must remain part of the state of Israel as part of a peace agreement. This position could significantly influence the progress in the conversations and shows how complex the negotiations between the two nations remain.

The political landscape in the Middle East is characterized by different interests and historical conflicts that make a solution challenging. The historical peace process, which was initiated in the 1970s, was supported by the United States and other international actors. The latest developments are part of a longer, unpredictable process that is often characterized by military conflicts and diplomatic setbacks, as the analog experiences with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict show that affect the entire region.

The new diplomatic efforts still offer hope for stabilizing the situation and a possible solution to the long -term disputes that affect not only Syria and Israel, but the entire region.

to learn more about the historical background and the ongoing military missions, see also [Kleine Zeitung] (https://www.kleinezeitung.at/service/newsticker/aussenpolitik/19895223/ Reporter-israels-und-Syriens-trafen-in-aserbaijan),) BMLV and wikipedia.