Syrian-Israeli Negotiations: Win-Win Equation Needed Towards Peace from Which All Benefit

The region is experiencing a unique moment in its history, as the new Syria transforms from a conflict zone into a potential peace partner. However, this historic moment faces a crucial test in how the concerned parties handle it. While Damascus presents a strategic vision for comprehensive peace, Israel persists in adopting a tactical approach that threatens to waste an opportunity that may not recur soon.

The Syrian Vision: Peace Based on Sovereignty and Dignity

The new Syrian leadership under President Ahmed al-Sharaa understands that true peace cannot be built on the ruins of national sovereignty. Therefore, Damascus presents a clear vision based on constant principles:

Non-negotiable Full Sovereignty:

• Syrian insistence on restoring the entire national territory to pre-December 8, 2024 borders.

• Rejection of any foreign military presence on Syrian territory.

• Refusal to turn Syria into spheres of influence or disputed cantons.

Comprehensive Peace, Not Temporary Security Arrangements:

• Pursuit of a permanent peace agreement rather than fragile security arrangements.

• Transforming borders from military confrontation lines to bridges of exchange and interaction.

• Establishment of normal diplomatic and economic relations with mutual respect.

The Official Syrian Position: A Red Line for Sovereignty

The Syrian government confirms that "no security agreement with Israel can be discussed without its withdrawal from the territories it encroached upon after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime on December 8, 2024." 

Any security agreement must be based on the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, emphasizing that any new understandings must guarantee Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and address repeated Israeli threats, Damascus' top officials keep stating.

This position is supported by the official statement of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa that his country is "conducting negotiations to reach a security agreement until Israel returns to what it was before December 8."

The Stalemate: Negotiations Without Horizon

Negotiations between Israel and Syria over a new security agreement have reached a stalemate, following fundamental disagreements that emerged during rounds hosted by Paris and Baku under American sponsorship. The failure is attributed to Damascus's insistence on the withdrawal of the Israeli army from areas it controlled since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, while Tel Aviv conditions any withdrawal on signing a "comprehensive peace agreement," refusing to settle for a "security agreement."

Key Disagreement Files: Mount Hermon and the Golan at the Heart

Current disagreements revolve around three main files reflecting the depth of the gap between the two visions:

Israeli Withdrawal from Post-2024 Occupied Territories

• Full withdrawal from Mount Sheikh, the buffer zone, and deep Quneitra.

• Return to pre-December 8, 2024 borders.

• Rejection of Israeli demands to disarm heavy weapons in southern Syria.

Air and Land Sovereignty:

• Rejection of restrictions on air movement in Syrian airspace.

• 
  

• Refusal to establish a land corridor connecting Israel to Al-Suwayda Governorate.

• 
  

• Maintaining full sovereignty over Syrian airspace.

The Golan Heights File: The Absent Present in Negotiations

Despite the negotiations focusing on territories occupied after 2024, the file of the Golan Heights occupied since 1967 remains the absent presence in every negotiation round. While Israel conditions any agreement on retaining the Golan, Syria refuses to relinquish its historical and legal right to this Syrian land.

Israeli Military Escalation: Violation of International Law

Since the fall of the Assad regime, Israeli forces have stormed the buffer zone in the Golan, occupied more Syrian territory, and launched hundreds of airstrikes on military sites across Syria. Damascus has condemned these repeated Israeli attacks and incursions into Quneitra, Daraa, and the Damascus countryside, emphasizing that they hinder stability efforts and represent a violation of international law and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

Ongoing Negotiations: Between Hope and Obstacles

In a positive development, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar welcomed normalization of relations with Syria, although he set a condition by saying: "If an opportunity arises to sign a peace agreement or normalization with Syria provided that the Golan remains with us, that would be positive for Israel's future."

The Israeli minister's statement came after a Syrian source revealed that Israel and Syria would sign a peace agreement before the end of 2025. According to the Syrian source, this agreement would fully normalize relations, and the Golan Heights occupied by Israel would become a "peace garden," with "Israel gradually withdrawing from all Syrian territories it occupied after invading the buffer zone on December 8, 2024, including Mount Sheikh peak."

Win-Win Equation: Towards a Peace from Which All Benefit

The true interest of all parties, including Israel, lies in adopting a strategic vision for peace based on:

Comprehensive Peace Agreement:

• Formal termination of the state of war and establishment of full diplomatic relations

• Mutual recognition of sovereignty and international borders

• Clear timeframe for implementing agreement terms

Syria as a Hub for Regional Integration:

• Transforming Syria into an economic bridge connecting the Gulf with Turkey and Europe.

• Reviving the historic Silk Road as a corridor for commercial and cultural exchange.

• Opening new regional markets for Israeli products.

Collective Regional Security System:

• Establishing a common security framework under international auspices.

• Confronting common threats like terrorism and organized crime.

• Building a culture of trust and common security among all parties.

The Courage to Make Peace

The historic opportunity for reconciliation between Damascus and Jerusalem exists, and the path is politically and popularly prepared more than ever before. But this opportunity requires courage and strategic vision capable of transforming the Middle East from a maze of conflict into a space for integration and civilization.

As President al-Sharaa pointed out: "Our will for peace is strong, and our will to defend our sovereignty is stronger." The message from Damascus is clear: peace is possible, but it must be based on mutual respect and equality in sovereignty, including a just solution to the file of the occupied Golan Heights.

The way forward is not through dividing land and tearing the social fabric, but through connecting destinies and building a common future where everyone wins. This is the moment when Israeli leaders can choose to be peacemakers rather than occupiers, and write with their neighbors a new chapter in the region's history, titled dignity and peace for all.

 _________________

Mohamed Hamdan, the researcher in Cultural Studies, explores pathways for moving from conflict-based paradigms towards models of integration and coexistence, rooted in the deep-seated cultural and historical continuities of the Middle East.