Syrian President al-Sharaa says talks with Israel reached nearly 90% agreement — Jerusalem Post
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said during an Atlantic Council discussion in New York, United States, that direct negotiations between Syria and Israel involving the United States had at one point reached “nearly 90% agreement.” According to him, a channel of direct contact between the sides has been operating for about a year and remains open.
As reported by the Jerusalem Post, al-Sharaa said that Damascus had chosen the diplomatic path and sought help from countries friendly to Israel, including the United States. He claims that when the sides approached an agreement, Israel retreated from previous positions or put forward new conditions.
Damascus’s conditions
According to the Syrian president, Israel must first leave the territories entered by its forces after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024, and return to positions linked to the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. Only after that, in his view, could the sides move on to discussing security arrangements and later a lasting peace.
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Al-Sharaa acknowledged Israel’s security concerns but said they cannot justify all of Israel’s actions. He also proposed creating an international committee to assess which concerns are real threats and which are merely perceptions.
The Golan and Israel’s policy
The Syrian president said that the October 7 attack should not determine Israel’s policy toward Syria. He said he understands what happened to innocent civilians, but believes that Israeli security policy creates new threats rather than reducing them. Al-Sharaa also criticized Israeli military actions on Syrian territory, including strikes on airports and military facilities.
Regarding the Golan Heights, he stressed that Damascus considers the territory Syrian and does not view the question of its final status as a subject for negotiations. Al-Sharaa also spoke about a joke with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Washington’s recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, adding that, in his view, no president can renounce this territory or transfer it to another side.
