Egypt Daily News – Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar stated that Israel’s continued control over the Golan Heights is a fundamental condition for any normalization agreement with Syria. Speaking in an interview with i24 News, Sa’ar emphasized that Syrian recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan is a prerequisite for any future deal with Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.
“If Israel has the opportunity to reach a peace or normalization agreement with Syria, while maintaining sovereignty over the Golan Heights, that would be a positive development for the future of Israelis,” Sa’ar said.
His comments coincided with a report by the same Israeli channel citing a well-informed Syrian source, who claimed that Israel and Syria are expected to sign a peace agreement before the end of 2025. According to the source, the deal would involve a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Syrian territories captured during its December 8, 2024 incursion into the buffer zone, including Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Sheikh).
The reported agreement, which is said to be under discussion with the encouragement of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and upon request by President Al-Sharaa, includes turning the Golan Heights into a “peace park”, though the issue of final sovereignty remains unresolved.
Syrian Response and Ongoing Negotiations
Two days earlier, Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa stated that his administration is working to stop ongoing Israeli attacks on safe areas in Quneitra province, southwest Syria. In a statement issued by the presidential office, he affirmed that indirect negotiations through international mediators are underway to address Israeli aggression.
The statement also noted that Al-Sharaa met with elders and community leaders from Quneitra and the Golan, reinforcing the government’s engagement with the local population.
Military Context
Since December 2024 and the fall of former President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime, Israel has launched dozens of airstrikes targeting former Syrian military bases across land, air, and sea. It also conducted ground incursions into the demilitarized buffer zone and expanded its military presence in the occupied Golan Heights, Mount Hermon, and other parts of southern Syria.
While talks of peace signal a potential shift in the longstanding hostility, the future of sovereignty over the Golan and the pace of military withdrawals remain key sticking points in the negotiations.
