Israeli Newspaper Reveals Negotiations for Prisoner Exchange in Sweida Mediated by Israel

Israeli newspaper "Yisrael Hayom" revealed ongoing contacts between representatives of the Druze community and Bedouin tribes in the Syrian province of Sweida, with the participation of a senior Israeli official, aiming to reach a deal to exchange prisoners between the two sides.

The newspaper explained that the Israeli official is directly engaging with members of the Druze community, while a third party, including the United States, is managing negotiations with the Syrian government and Bedouin tribes, expressing optimism about the possibility of releasing all prisoners in the coming days.

"Yisrael Hayom" quoted political sources as saying that the Israeli government is leveraging these developments to enhance its presence in southern Syrian areas, claiming that this represents a "vital necessity for Israel's security" and a "means to protect the Druze" and "ensure stability in the south", indicating that the US administration acknowledges this role and is cooperating with Israel as part of prisoner exchange efforts.

The report also linked recent events in Sweida to alleged activities of Islamic groups and militias loyal to Iran, considering these threats as reinforcing the stance of the Israeli security establishment calling for maintaining a "buffer zone" inside Syrian territories in the foreseeable future, in anticipation of any attack similar to the one on October 7, 2023 in Gaza.

The newspaper indicated that the new security doctrine of the Israeli army is being strictly implemented in Syria, based on three security circles, which include: enhancing military presence inside Israel, establishing an artificial separation barrier, and setting up a security belt 3 to 5 kilometers wide inside Syrian territories to prevent the presence of any armed individuals, in addition to a demilitarized zone extending from Damascus to the Jordanian border.

Israeli sources emphasized that "recent events in Sweida are evidence that Israel cannot abandon this buffer zone in the near future", considering the lack of prior intelligence information about hostile intentions justifying taking "precautionary steps to avoid surprise attacks".

In a related context, the newspaper quoted Israeli officials confirming that the current goal is to "calm the situation", indicating that this calm is "temporary" amid ongoing concerns about possible future attacks.