Syria Denies Netanyahu-Al-Assad Talks, Accuses Israel of Druze Exploitation

Syria on Thursday evening denied any conversation took place between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Charaa. A source close to the Syrian government, speaking to the official SANA agency, rejected the Israeli leader's claims and accused Israel of attempting to exploit the Druze community for electoral purposes. "The Druze community in the Sweida province is and always will be an integral part of the Syrian national fabric," the source stated. "We categorically reject any attempt to politicize this community and involve it in propaganda and election campaigns in Israel," the source added, with Israeli legislative elections approaching.

The Syrian official also leveled serious accusations against Israel, alleging that the Jewish state deliberately played a role in the intercommunal clashes that occurred in Sweida in July 2025. According to the source, Israel allegedly armed an illegal militia to sow chaos and create a pretext for drawing Syria into a large-scale war. The official asserted that Damascus thwarted this attempt, while accusing Israel of continuing its destabilization efforts in the region. Regarding the July events, the Syrian source claimed that Israeli strikes ceased due to American mediation. They also maintained that these operations prevented Syrian authorities from intervening to end the clashes between Druze and Bedouin populations.

Damas is now working with the United States and Jordan on a tripartite roadmap to fully reintegrate the Sweida province into the Syrian state, while ensuring the rights and security of its inhabitants. The Syrian government also called on the international community, Washington, and regional countries to pressure Israel to respect the 1974 disengagement agreement and cease all interference in Syrian internal affairs. These statements highlight the ongoing tensions between Jerusalem and Damascus, despite American-mediated diplomatic efforts.