Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara has announced that his nation is currently engaged in talks with Israel, with a potential agreement to ease tensions along their shared border possibly arriving “within days.”
While Syria and Israel have been official adversaries for many decades, President al-Shara has adopted a notably more conciliatory stance since leading rebels to overthrow the former dictator, Bashar al-Assad, last December.
Israel, citing self-defense, has maintained control over territory in southern Syria and conducted numerous airstrikes within the country, even targeting areas close to President al-Shara’s palace. For months, with the United States acting as a mediator, Syrian government officials have been discussing a potential security pact for southern Syria with their Israeli counterparts.
During a late Wednesday address to researchers and journalists in Damascus, Mr. al-Shara emphasized Syria’s weariness from over 13 years of civil war and its commitment to fostering peace with neighboring countries.
Regarding the ongoing discussions with Israel, he stated, “We could reach an agreement at any moment.” However, he expressed concern about Israel’s potential adherence to any such deal.
Analysts suggest that Syria’s severely weakened economy and military post-civil war leave it with minimal bargaining power in these negotiations. Israeli officials have indicated their intention to maintain a military presence in Syria to prevent the establishment of hostile forces near their borders and to ensure southern Syria remains free of Syrian government troops.
The precise objectives of both sides in the ongoing discussions remain undefined. Ron Dermer, Israel’s minister of strategic affairs and the lead negotiator with Syrian officials, did not immediately provide a comment.
Israel and Syria have been in a state of official conflict since 1948. A persistent source of disagreement has been the Golan Heights, a strategically vital plateau that Israel seized during the 1967 Middle East War and subsequently annexed.
In 1974, both nations signed an agreement establishing a United Nations-patrolled buffer zone, which maintained relative calm along the border for decades. However, following the ousting of Mr. al-Assad, Israeli officials declared the accord null and void until stability was re-established in Syria.
President al-Shara affirmed on Wednesday that his government continues to honor the 1974 armistice agreement, despite repeated breaches by Israel. He indicated that the current negotiations seek to establish new border protocols, mirroring the 1974 accord with provisions for a buffer zone and international oversight.
He clarified that the contentious status of Mount Hermon and the Golan Heights, currently under Israeli control, is not on the agenda for these present discussions.
Additional reporting by Euan Ward.