Damascus demands Israeli withdrawal from post-Assad advances while excluding Golan status from negotiations.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani stated that ongoing discussions with Israel are narrowly focused on territories entered by Israeli forces following the December 2024 ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad — not on the broader and long-contested issue of the Golan Heights.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Shaibani clarified that negotiations concern Israeli troop movements into the United Nations-monitored buffer zone that historically separated Syrian and Israeli forces. He stressed that Damascus considers the Golan Heights a separate matter entirely.
Following Assad’s removal, Israel deployed forces into the buffer area, citing security concerns and instability. In recent months, Israeli representatives and Syria’s new authorities have reportedly held multiple rounds of direct discussions. Under U.S. mediation pressure, both sides agreed in January to establish an intelligence-sharing mechanism aimed at preventing cross-border escalation.
Shaibani insisted that any agreement would require Israel to withdraw from areas entered after December 2024 and refrain from interfering in Syrian sovereignty. He rejected the notion that talks would legitimize what he described as a “fait accompli” in southern Syria.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has similarly stated that demilitarizing regions south of Damascus would be impractical, arguing that such zones could become launch points for armed factions and further destabilization.
While discussions continue, Damascus has not indicated willingness to address recognition issues or broader normalization frameworks, including potential alignment with regional initiatives such as the Abraham Accords.
