Israel’s Netanyahu says deal with Syria possible but demands buffer zone

US is pushing for a non-aggression pact betwixt Israel, Syria, but Netanyahu has shown small appetite for compromise.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said an statement with Syria is achievable, outlining expectations that Syrian authorities found a demilitarised buffer portion stretching from Damascus to Jabal al-Sheikh, which Israel presently occupies.

Netanyahu’s comments connected Tuesday came a time aft US President Donald Trump said helium wanted some Syria and Israel to “have a agelong and prosperous narration together”.

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Talks person been ongoing implicit a information statement betwixt Israel and Syria for months, but look to person made small advancement successful caller weeks.

Syria does not formally recognise Israel, which has expanded its amerciable concern of Syrian territory implicit the past year.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria successful the 1967 warfare and aboriginal illegally annexed the area, a determination recognised by the United States but rejected by astir of the planetary community.

Then, aft the autumn of erstwhile Syrian President Bashar al-Assad successful December 2024, it reneged connected a 1974 statement and expanded further into Syrian territory, seizing areas including the full of Jabal al-Sheikh, a upland that commands views implicit bluish Israel and confederate Syria.

Israel has repeatedly attacked Syria successful the past year, contempt the caller authorities successful Damascus’s insistence that it is not looking for a fight. Most recently, an Israeli raid past Friday killed 13 people successful the municipality of Beit Jinn, southwest of Damascus.

“What we expect Syria to bash is, of course, to found a demilitarised buffer portion from Damascus to the buffer area, including the approaches to Mount Hermon and the Hermon peak,” Netanyahu said, utilizing the Israeli sanction for Jabal al-Sheikh, during a sojourn to wounded soldiers successful cardinal Israel.

“We clasp these areas successful bid to guarantee the information of Israel’s citizens, and that is what obligates us.”

He added, “With goodwill and an knowing of these principles, it is imaginable to scope an statement with the Syrians, but we volition basal by our principles successful immoderate case.”

The Trump medication has been attempting to broker a non-aggression pact betwixt the 2 countries, portion the US president has expressed his enactment for Syria’s caller leader, President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Trump praised what helium described arsenic advancement nether al-Sharaa’s fledgling government, which has promised to unify Syria aft years of civilian warfare and sectarian fragmentation.

“The United States is precise satisfied with the results displayed, done hard enactment and determination, successful the Country of Syria,” the US president wrote. “We are doing everything wrong our powerfulness to marque definite the Government of Syria continues to bash what was intended, which is substantial, successful bid to physique a existent and prosperous Country.”

“The caller President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is moving diligently to marque definite bully things happen, and that some Syria and Israel volition person a agelong and prosperous narration together,” helium added.

Shortly aft Trump’s statement, Netanyahu’s bureau said the 2 leaders had spoken by phone.

Israel and Syria person been successful talks for months implicit a settlement, but Israeli media person precocious reported that talks betwixt the 2 had reached a dormant end, chiefly arsenic a effect of Netanyahu’s unwillingness to compromise connected Israel’s refusal to retreat from the territory it has seized successful the past year.

Israel has besides reportedly demanded that it beryllium allowed to support an aerial corridor to Iran via Syria, successful lawsuit it needs to usage it for aboriginal aerial strikes.