Israel's Netanyahu says deal with Syria possible but demands buffer zone

"Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war and later illegally annexed the area, a move recognised by the United States but rejected by most of the international community. Then, after the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, it reneged on a 1974 agreement and expanded further into Syrian territory, seizing areas including the whole of Jabal al-Sheikh, a mountain that commands views over northern Israel and southern Syria."

"Talks have been ongoing over a security agreement between Israel and Syria for months, but appear to have made little progress in recent weeks. Syria does not formally recognise Israel, which has expanded its illegal occupation of Syrian territory over the last year. Israel has repeatedly attacked Syria in the last year, despite the new government in Damascus's insistence that it is not looking for a fight."

"What we expect Syria to do is, of course, to establish a demilitarised buffer zone from Damascus to the buffer area, including the approaches to Mount Hermon and the Hermon peak, Netanyahu said, using the Israeli name for Jabal al-Sheikh, during a visit to wounded soldiers in central Israel. We hold these areas in order to ensure the security of Israel's citizens, and that is what obligates us."

Washington is pressing for a non‑aggression pact between Israel and Syria while talks have made little recent progress. Israeli leadership demands a demilitarised buffer zone stretching from Damascus to Jabal al‑Sheikh and asserts control of strategic heights to ensure citizen security. Israel captured the Golan Heights in 1967 and later annexed it, a move recognised by the United States but rejected internationally. After Bashar al‑Assad's fall in December 2024, Israel reneged on a 1974 agreement and expanded into Syrian territory, seizing Jabal al‑Sheikh. Israel has carried out repeated strikes in Syria despite Damascus denying intent to provoke conflict. A recent Israeli raid killed 13 civilians in Beit Jinn.

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