Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze in Israel, met with Ambassador Tom Barrack, President Donald Trump's envoy to Syria and Lebanon, in Paris on Tuesday evening, hours before Barrack's meeting with Secretary of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.
Sheikh Tarif requested that the United States work to fully implement the ceasefire agreement in a complete and immediate manner in the Druze Mountain region of Syria. Additionally, he demanded the opening of a humanitarian corridor to the Sweida district, which is suffering from a siege and a severe shortage of food, water, electricity, and fuel.
The lifting of the siege on the Sweida district, carried out by Syrian regime forces, was also discussed during the meeting.
Tarif and Barrack agreed on the need for the release of all hostages from the Druze and the Syrian nationals as a confidence-building measure, with the goal of reaching a comprehensive and sustainable long-term agreement.
At the end of the meeting, which lasted more than two hours, it was agreed to continue intensive negotiations, including another meeting later on Tuesday.
Previous efforts by Barrack, Tarif to calm tensions in region
On Monday, Barrack said that Israel should comply with a plan under which Hezbollah would be disarmed by the end of the year in exchange for a halt to Israel's military operations in Lebanon.
Late last month, Tarif met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which came shortly after Dermer's and Shaibani's meeting, also in Paris, to discuss security matters relating to southern Syria, sources told The Jerusalem Post.
Jerusalem Post Staff and Reuters contributed to this report.