WASHINGTON, December 3. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump, in his phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on December 1, urged the latter to refrain from military escalation against Syria and not to provoke the country's current leadership, Axios reported, citing US and Israeli sources.

According to the portal, Trump sought to persuade Netanyahu that the new Syrian authorities are positively disposed toward further dialogue with Israel. Hasty military actions by the Israeli side could disrupt this dynamic and harden Syria’s stance. Following the conversation with Trump, Netanyahu reportedly softened his position, at least on paper.

Additionally, Axios reported that the US president urged Netanyahu to show greater commitment to the fundamental principles for resolving the conflict in the Gaza Strip. This includes, among other measures, allowing armed supporters of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas who remain in Israeli-controlled parts of the enclave to surrender.

Earlier, Axios, citing White House sources, noted that the US is concerned about the ongoing intermittent strikes by the Israeli army on Syrian territory. On November 28, Israel carried out an airstrike and opened artillery fire on the village of Beit Jinn in Syria. Following the entry of an Israeli military patrol into the area, clashes with local residents occurred. According to Syria TV, the raid resulted in more than 20 fatalities. Israel claimed the operation was a retaliatory strike after its soldiers were attacked by a Hamas-affiliated group.

On Israel-Syria relations

Israel deployed its troops to the buffer zone and the Syria-controlled part of Mount Hermon in December 2024 after the change of power in Damascus. Netanyahu explained the move by security considerations, saying that the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement between the two countries was no longer valid.

On September 17, 2025, Syrian Foreign Minister in the transitional government Asaad al-Sheibani and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer held talks in London. The talks were mediated by US Special Envoy for the Middle East Tom Barrack. According to Syria TV, the sides discussed a new draft agreement on security measures that was supposed to supersede the 1974 disengagement agreement.

Following these negotiations, Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said that Damascus could soon sign a security agreement with Israel but this would not mean "a normalization in relations" with the Jewish state or Damascus’ intention to join the Abraham Accords. However, according to the Al Arabiya television channel, further talks on this matter have stalled.