Israel's intelligence chief, Tzachi Hanegbi, revealed during a classified Sunday meeting with the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that his country maintains direct, ongoing dialogue with Syria's new government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa (also known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani). Hanegbi disclosed he personally oversees both security and political coordination efforts, moving beyond previously reported indirect communications to establish comprehensive governmental contact.
Hanegbi identified Syria and Lebanon as prime candidates for normalization agreements with Israel, building on the Abraham Accords model. His testimony confirms recent international media reports regarding direct Israeli-Syrian communications while exposing the scope of discussions that encompass both military and political spheres.
Responding to MK Merav Michaeli's call to capitalize on Iranian military setbacks for regional peace initiatives, Hanegbi explained that although Syrian leader al-Sharaa allegedly told French President Emmanuel Macron about maintaining only indirect dialogue with Israel, "the reality involves direct dialogue, daily communication across all governmental levels. I personally conduct these discussions with political representatives of their government. Israel and Syria share numerous common interests, particularly concerning Iran."
Lawmakers inquired about a potential Israeli withdrawal from the Syrian buffer zone currently under IDF control. Hanegbi indicated flexibility, stating, "If normalization occurs, we will consider this option."
When MK Amit Halevi questioned Military Intelligence assessments suggesting al-Sharaa maintains unchanged ideological positions, referencing his 2014 statement about reaching "Damascus next year, then Jerusalem," Hanegbi acknowledged ongoing evaluation, noting "we continue monitoring this. Al-Sharaa continues developing through his leadership experience."
Contacted by Israel Hayom for comment, Hanegbi refused to address the committee disclosures, declaring, "I will not respond to committee leaks. Such behavior embarrasses the institution and cannot allow free discussion, further diminishing the committee's authority. These reckless leaks from closed sessions constitute criminal violations and will discourage security organization leaders from providing comprehensive briefings. Should they invite me again to address the full committee, I plan to bring recent newspapers for discussion and utilize our important gathering to read headlines and editorial pieces aloud to my colleagues."
