Agency reports on "coordinative" direct meetings that took place between officials Damascus Authority, Israelis

Reuters reported from its sources that the Damascus Authority and Israel are in direct contact, and face-to-face meetings have been held in recent weeks between the two sides, aimed at "reducing tension and preventing clashes" in the border area.

Syrian and Western sources, along with a regional intelligence source, said that "these meetings are based on behind-the-scenes talks that have taken place through intermediaries since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad's regime last December."

It explained that "from the Syrian side, the communications were led by a security official named Ahmad al-Dalati, who was appointed as the governor of the Quneitra province bordering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and al-Dalati has recently taken on the responsibility of security in the southern province of Sweida."

Reuters reported that it was unable to identify the participants from the Israeli side, although two sources indicated that they were security officials.

Three sources confirmed that several rounds of face-to-face meetings took place in the border area, including lands under Israeli control.

A source familiar with the talks said, "So far, the goal is peace in the sense of the absence of war, not normalization."

T/S

ANHA