Pursuing Israel-Syria Detent Post-Assad

On July 3, U.S. envoy Tom Barrack announced that Washington is brokering new border talks between Israel and Syria, with an eye toward fostering economic development post-Assad rather than launching another “failed” U.S. attempt at “nation building.” How should negotiators approach the many complex issues that will come up during such talks, including concerns over Israeli military incursions, the new Syrian government’s ability to provide internal security, competing claims over the Golan Heights, and continued interference from actors like Iran and Russia? And what role can the United States ultimately play in ending eight decades of conflict between the two countries?

To discuss these issues, The Washington Institute is pleased to announce a virtual Policy Forum with four distinguished speakers, moderated by Blumenstein-Rosenbloom Senior Fellow Devorah Margolin:

Rime Allaf, a Syrian-born writer, advisor, and communications strategist, author of the forthcoming book It Started in Damascus: How the Long Syrian Revolution Reshaped Our World (Hurst, 2025), and a former associate fellow with Chatham House. 

Ehud Yaari, The Washington Institute’s Lafer International Fellow and an award-winning Middle East commentator for Israel’s Channel 12 television.

Aaron Zelin, the Institute’s Gloria and Ken Levy Senior Fellow, creator of its interactive Islamic State Worldwide Activity Map, and author of The Age of Political Jihadism: A Study of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

Andrew Tabler, the Institute’s Martin J. Gross Senior Fellow, former director for Syria at the National Security Council, and former senior advisor to the State Department’s special envoy for Syria engagement.

The Policy Forum series is made possible through the generosity of the Florence and Robert Kaufman Family.