Israel rejects Syria’s sweeping withdrawal demands, freezing negotiations and exposing Damascus’ refusal to demilitarize or consider genuine peace with Jerusalem.
Negotiations between Israel and Syria have slammed into a wall, Israeli officials revealed Monday, after Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa demanded a full Israeli withdrawal from every position captured during the turmoil that followed the collapse of the Assad regime—an ultimatum Jerusalem flatly rejected.
According to sources speaking with Kan 11 News, Israel has zero intention of abandoning strategic footholds gained after Assad’s fall unless Damascus agrees not to a mere security arrangement, but to a full, formal peace agreement—a prospect that, for now, is nowhere in sight.
The deadlock comes days after al-Sharaa used his high-profile Washington Post interview to trumpet Syria’s involvement in direct talks with Israel. But his red lines—especially his demand that Israel retreat to “pre-Dec. 8 borders”—were immediately viewed in Jerusalem as unrealistic, dangerous, and disconnected from the new regional security landscape.
Al-Sharaa even claimed that President Trump supports Syria’s stance, saying the U.S. leader “will push as quickly as possible to reach a solution.” Israeli officials privately dismissed that characterization, noting Trump’s consistent insistence on demilitarization and long-term guarantees before any territorial discussions can take place.
Damascus Rejects Demilitarization: ‘This Is Syrian Territory’
Despite international expectations that Syria would agree to demilitarize the volatile zone south of Damascus, al-Sharaa shut the door firmly. In his own words:
“To talk about an entire region demilitarized will be difficult… if chaos erupts, who will protect it?”
Al-Sharaa then offered the clearest sign yet of Damascus’ mindset:
“At the end of the day, this is Syrian territory, and Syria should have the freedom of dealing with their own territory.”
Israeli security officials interpreted this as a blatant refusal to prevent Hezbollah, Iran-backed militias, or rogue factions from operating near Israel’s northern border—a scenario Jerusalem considers completely unacceptable.
Normalization? Recognition? Syria Dodges Every Question
In a separate Fox News interview, al-Sharaa danced around basic questions about recognizing Israel’s right to exist or joining the Abraham Accords. He refused to commit to any form of normalization, instead pointing to decades-old grievances over the Golan Heights, liberated by Israel in 1967.
Although he had hinted in September that talks on a “security pact” might yield results “in the coming days,” he also made it unmistakably clear:
Syria is not prepared for peace or normalization—only concessions.
Jerusalem’s Bottom Line: No Withdrawal Without Real Peace
For Israeli leaders, the equation remains simple:
- No withdrawals without ironclad security guarantees.
- No deals without Syrian demilitarization near Israel’s borders.
- No recognition? No normalization? No peace offer? No reason to give up territory.
With Syria refusing demilitarization and refusing to recognize Israel, the negotiations have ground to a halt—perhaps fatally.
At this stage, Israel sees Damascus not as a partner for peace, but as a state still entangled with Iran, unwilling to secure its own southern front, and desperate to claw back territory while offering nothing in return.
The message from Jerusalem is unmistakable:
Israel will not gamble its security on Syrian promises—especially from a regime still rebuilding itself from the ashes.
