Under US pressure, Syria and Israel inch toward security deal

Under US pressure, Syria is accelerating talks with Israel for a security pact that Damascus hopes will reverse Israel's recent seizures of its land but that would fall far short of a full peace treaty, sources briefed on the talks said. Washington is pushing for enough progress to be made by the time world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly at the end of this month to allow President Donald Trump to announce a breakthrough, four of the sources told Reuters. Even a modest agreement would be a feat, the sources said, pointing to Israel's tough stance during months of talks and Syria's weakened position after sectarian bloodshed in its south inflamed calls for partition. Reuters...