Report: U.S. Plans Netanyahu-al-Julani Summit in New York, September

According to a new report, the United States is100⁰ working to facilitate a groundbreaking meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian President Ahmed al-Julani in New York this September to address escalating tensions and explore de-escalation.

The proposed summit follows U.S.-brokered talks in Paris between Israeli Minister Ron Dermer and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, amid continuous Israeli airstrikes in Syria. The meeting could signal a step toward stability, potentially aligning with U.S. efforts to expand the Abraham Accords, though al-Julani’s past ties to jihadist groups and Israel’s security concerns pose significant challenges.

The initiative comes after the Assad regime’s collapse in December 2024, prompting Israel to launch over 480 airstrikes to prevent advanced weaponry, including chemical weapons, from falling into the hands of al-Julani’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former al-Qaeda affiliate.

Netanyahu has repeatedly threatened al-Julani, warning of forceful responses if Iran or its proxies regain influence in Syria. Despite al-Julani’s pledges to focus on reconstruction, Israel’s ongoing strikes and a Golan Heights incursion reflect deep distrust, making the U.S.-brokered summit a high-stakes effort to test al-Julani’s intentions and secure Israel’s borders.