DAMASCUS — Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa confirmed that his government is engaged in direct negotiations with Israel over a potential security agreement that could lead to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from a buffer zone near the Golan Heights.
The talks follow the December overthrow of longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in a swift, Islamist-led offensive. In the aftermath, Israeli troops entered the UN-monitored buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces.
Since Assad’s fall, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes across Syria and conducted ground operations in the south. The new Syrian authorities have not responded militarily to these attacks.
Al-Sharaa said the negotiations aim to restore the status quo prior to December 8 and reaffirm Syria’s commitment to the 1974 disengagement agreement. While normalization is not on the table, the talks are focused on de-escalation and establishing mutual security guarantees.