With growing talk of a potential agreement between Syria and Israel regarding the situation in southern Syria, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting on Sunday with senior ministers and security officials to discuss the possible deal.
اضافة اعلان
A senior Israeli official stated that Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer would brief Netanyahu and other participants on the ongoing talks with Syria and the concessions Israel may need to make under the proposed security agreement.
According to Israeli sources, the United States is applying pressure to bridge gaps in the ongoing negotiations between Damascus and Tel Aviv, as reported by the Israel Broadcasting Authority. They noted that U.S. pressure has yielded progress, but the security deal is “not yet mature.”
What Does Israel Want?
Sources familiar with the matter explained that the current negotiations seek to replace the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement. Israel reportedly rejects a return to the old disengagement accord and has presented a written counterproposal via U.S. envoy Tom Brack.
Israel is insisting on maintaining its position at Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Sheikh) and its outskirts, expanding the buffer zone, and establishing three demilitarized areas. It is also seeking security arrangements extending to the outskirts of Damascus and maintaining aerial control in the south, according to Al-Majalla magazine.
In addition, the Israeli side is demanding an air corridor to the Iraqi border to reach Iran, while signaling readiness for limited withdrawals but not giving up full control of the Golan Heights.
Damascus’ Demands
On the other hand, Damascus has demanded the reactivation of the 1974 disengagement agreement and Israel’s withdrawal from territories it occupied after the fall of the previous Syrian regime on December 8, 2024.
Syria has also expressed willingness to sign a new security agreement that respects both Israel’s security and Syria’s sovereignty, linking normalization and potential accession to the Abraham Accords to the future status of the Golan Heights.
Furthermore, Syria stressed respect for its airspace and called for international forces (UNDOF) to oversee implementation of the agreement.
An Israeli official, however, told Channel 12 that Israel will not agree to withdraw from the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, stating: “We do not really trust this Syrian regime, but the agreement may prevent escalation and help stabilize the border.”
These developments followed Dermer’s meeting last Wednesday in London with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Sheibani and U.S. envoy Tom Brack. A senior American official said both sides agreed to accelerate negotiations with the aim of reaching an agreement in the coming weeks.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa also confirmed that his country is close to finalizing an agreement with Israel on security arrangements in southern Syria.
It is worth noting that Syria and Israel have technically been at war since Israel’s establishment in 1948, despite intermittent periods of calm.
Israel abandoned the 1974 ceasefire last December after pushing into the demilitarized zone, following the Syrian opposition’s ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad. Since then, Israeli forces have struck Syrian military assets and advanced to within 20 kilometers of Damascus.
