Disputes Over Withdrawal from the South Hinder Progress in Negotiations Between Syria and Israel

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that the ongoing negotiations between Syria and Israel have reached a dead end, after the talks froze due to a dispute over the issue of withdrawal from southern Syria.

According to the corporation, Israel conditioned a full peace agreement in exchange for withdrawing from the areas it controls, stressing that it does not wish to settle for a mere security agreement.

This development comes after statements made by Syria’s transitional Prime Minister, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, to The Washington Post, in which he confirmed that Damascus is engaged in direct negotiations with the Israeli side and has made “significant progress” toward a potential agreement. Al-Sharaa clarified that any final agreement requires Israel to withdraw to the lines prior to December 8, 2024, noting American and international support for the Syrian position.

Al-Sharaa also revealed that Israel has carried out more than a thousand strikes inside Syrian territory since December 2024, targeting government buildings such as the presidential palace and the Ministry of Defense, without any Syrian military response, as part of what he described as a “commitment to rebuilding the state.” He accused Israel of pursuing “expansionist ambitions” that go beyond border security motivations, noting that Syrian forces expelled Iranian militias and Hezbollah from the country.

Regarding proposals for demilitarization south of Damascus, Al-Sharaa considered that creating a fully demilitarized zone would be “complex and dangerous,” questioning who would bear responsibility for protecting it in case of chaos or its exploitation to launch attacks.

For its part, Israel, through its defense minister Yoav Katz, emphasized the necessity of keeping its forces in the Mount Hermon area and the buffer zone, affirming the continued establishment of military sites and intelligence outposts inside Syrian territory since late 2024.

It is worth noting that both sides have held several rounds of negotiations over the past months in Paris and Baku, under American sponsorship, with the aim of reducing tensions and reaching a settlement regarding the security situation in southern Syria.