Damascus Offers to Return an Israeli spy’s Remains Amid Quiet Reconciliation Talks
Senior Syrian delegation recently visited Tel Aviv and held direct security consultations with Israeli officials. The talks were aimed at easing decades of hostilities and establishing mutual trust.
By Ahora Qadi
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Senior officials from Syria’s new interim government have reportedly offered to return the remains of Israeli intelligence operative Eli Cohen, executed in Damascus in 1965, as part of a confidence-building gesture in ongoing covert negotiations with Israel, Israeli daily Maariv reported on Friday.
The revelation comes amid a flurry of behind-the-scenes diplomatic activity, as the newly empowered Syrian leadership explores avenues for regional normalization following the collapse of the Assad regime in late 2024.
According to Maariv, a senior Syrian delegation recently visited Tel Aviv and held direct security consultations with Israeli officials, reportedly facilitated by the United Arab Emirates and potentially with Qatari coordination. The talks were aimed at easing decades of hostilities and establishing mutual trust.
During these discreet meetings, the Syrian side is said to have raised the issue of repatriating the remains of Eli Cohen, a legendary Mossad spy whose capture and public execution by the Assad government became a symbol of deep-rooted enmity between the two nations.
Israeli officials were reportedly surprised by the gesture, interpreting it as a serious indication of Syria’s intention to pivot away from the politics of confrontation.
Part of a Larger Strategic Realignment
The reported offer follows earlier disclosures of regional dialogue involving Syria, Israel, and Turkey. Just days ago, Israeli media confirmed that Maj. Gen. Oded Basyuk, head of the IDF Operations Directorate, met with Syrian and Turkish officials in Azerbaijan in talks centered on regional security and normalization. The UAE has played a key mediating role, with Qatar also involved in the dialogue track, according to sources.
These developments came in the wake of a landmark summit in Riyadh, where U.S. President Donald Trump met Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa for the first time. Trump publicly urged al-Sharaa to join the Abraham Accords, a U.S.-brokered diplomatic framework to normalize ties between Israel and Arab states. Al-Sharaa reportedly expressed openness to the idea, although he acknowledged the path ahead would be complex.
From Pariah to Partner?
Once deemed a terrorist by Israeli authorities due to his former affiliations with hardline Islamist factions, al-Sharaa is now being viewed through a new strategic lens in Tel Aviv. Channel 12 reported that Israeli leaders believe Syria may be preparing to exit Iran’s regional axis, and that a reorientation toward the West and Gulf states could be mutually beneficial.
While no formal agreements have been reached, the gesture surrounding Eli Cohen’s remains is seen as a pivotal signal—one that could pave the way for deeper talks on security arrangements, border demarcations, and eventual diplomatic normalization.
