Scoop: Israel-Syria talks planned in Paris with U.S. mediating

Senior Syrian and Israeli officials will meet on Monday in Paris to resume negotiations on a new security agreement, according to an Israeli official and another source with knowledge. Why it matters: The Trump administration is pressing both Israel and Syria for a deal that would stabilize the security situation on their border and potentially be the first step toward future diplomatic normalization. That effort has been led by President Trump's Syria envoy Tom Barrack, who will mediate the new round of negotiations. The talks are expected to take place over two days, with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani participating opposite a new group of Israeli negotiators. Driving the news: This will be the fifth round of talks, but the first in nearly two months. The talks were on hold due to the big gaps between the parties but also because of the resignation of Israel's top negotiator, Ron Dermer.The goal is a security pact that includes the de-militarization of southern Syria and Israeli withdrawal from the parts of Syria it occupied after the collapse of the Assad regime.Behind the scenes: The resumption of talks is the direct result of a request from President Trump to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when they met last Monday in Mar-a-Lago, according to the source with knowledge.Trump said negotiations must continue in order to reach a deal soon. Netanyahu agreed but stressed any deal must preserve Israel's red lines, the Israeli official said. "We do have an understanding regarding Syria. I'm sure that Israel and [Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara] will get along. I will try and make it so that they do get along, I think they will," Trump said after his meeting with Netanyahu. Netanyahu said after the meeting that it is in Israel's interest to have a peaceful border with Syria and protect the Druze minority in the country. Zoom in: Ahead of the meeting in Paris, Netanyahu appointed a new negotiating team headed by Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter, a close Netanyahu confidant.Also expected to participate are Netanyahu's military adviser General Roman Gofman, who has been nominated to lead the Mossad spy agency, and Netanyahu's acting national security adviser Gill Reich.The Israeli embassy in Washington declined to comment.