Syria, under new leadership, announced Friday that it is willing to work with the United States to restore the 1974 separation of forces agreement with Israel
The agreement, created after the Yom Kippur War, established a UN-monitored buffer zone between the two countries with the aim of maintaining peace along the border.
Syria, US, Israel Talks
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani spoke by phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
After the conversation, al-Shaibani said that Syria wants to cooperate with the United States to return to compliance with the 1974 agreement.
Rubio, in turn, said that they discussed important issues, such as combating terrorism, the influence of Iran, relations between Syria and Israel and the destruction of chemical weapons left over from the former government of Bashar Assad.
Thomas J.
Barrack Jr., the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, told The New York Times that Israel and Syria are in “significant” negotiations to bring calm to the border region.
However, he warned that this could take time, because the new Syrian leader, Ahmed al-Shara (also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, a former member of al-Qaeda), faces internal resistance.
Barrack explained that al-Shara needs to tread carefully so as not to appear to be being pressured into accepting agreements such as the Abraham Accords, which normalized Israel’s relations with Arab countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.
Israel’s Position
On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said that Israel wants to expand the Abraham Accords and include countries such as Syria and Lebanon in a “circle of peace.” He also stressed that the Golan Heights, annexed by Israel more than 40 years ago, will remain part of the country in any peace agreement.
Also on Monday, the UN Security Council renewed for another six months the peacekeeping mission (UNDOF) that monitors the border between Israel and Syria, created by the 1974 agreement.
Security Context
Following the fall of Bashar Assad’s government in December, led by Sunni jihadist groups, Israel occupied parts of the Syrian side of the Golan Heights to create a security zone.
The aim is to protect Israeli communities from potential threats, as Syria is in a period of instability, with different groups vying for power.
On Tuesday, Israeli Army Chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir visited the area and stressed the importance of maintaining vigilance in the Golan Heights, which he called a “forward defense zone.” Zamir said Israel was ready to strike any threat, including terrorist groups such as Hezbollah.
On Wednesday, the Israeli Army announced that it had captured members of an Iranian-backed terrorist cell in southern Syria.
The previous Sunday, soldiers had already arrested other suspects and confiscated weapons in the same area.
Israel’s “Bashan” (210th) Division is operating in southern Syria, from the top of Mount Hermon to the border where Syria, Jordan and Israel meet.
In January, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz visited Syria’s Mount Hermon and said the Army would remain in the area indefinitely to ensure the security of communities in the Golan Heights and northern Israel.
Recent Tensions
On June 3, Syrian terrorists fired two rockets at the Israeli side of the Golan Heights.
The projectiles landed in open areas, causing no damage or injuries.
In response, Minister Katz said he held Syrian leader al-Shara “directly responsible” for any attack on Israel and promised a tough response.
Conclusion
Syria, under new leadership, has shown interest in resuming the 1974 agreement with Israel to reduce tensions on the border, with US support.
However, negotiations may be slow due to internal resistance in Syria and the complexity of the political situation.
Israel, for its part, maintains a firm stance, prioritizing security in the Golan Heights and the fight against terrorist threats, while seeking to expand peace agreements in the region.
Note: For more details, it is recommended to follow official sources, such as statements from the Syrian government, Israel or the UN.
Published in 07/05/2025 14h34
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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