Wire flash
ConflictSyria's President Al-Sharaa seeks security agreement with Israel, maintains Golan Heights claim
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa stated in an Al Jazeera interview that Syria is pursuing a security agreement with Israel, aiming to involve a group of states to encourage a more balanced Israeli policy. He emphasized that such an agreement could lead to comprehensive peace, but Syria will not relinquish its claim to the Golan Heights. Al-Sharaa also noted his government avoids confrontations and is considering no military interventions in Lebanon, despite US pressure to address Hezbollah. His remarks coincided with a visit by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who called for respect for Syria's sovereignty and condemned Israeli violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. Israeli forces had advanced into Syrian territory, including the demilitarized zone and Mount Hermon, following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Al-Sharaa is focused on restoring Syria's international standing and rebuilding the economy after nearly 14 years of war.
Source report
Source: Francisco Seco/AP/dpa
Syria is seeking a security agreement with Israel, President Ahmed al-Sharaa stated on Sunday in an interview with Al Jazeera.
According to al-Sharaa, such an agreement could pave the way for comprehensive peace between the two countries, without, however, giving up Syria's claim to the Golan Heights. Syria is attempting to involve a group of states to encourage Israel toward a more balanced policy.
"We avoid confrontations," al-Sharaa added.
No Military Interventions in Lebanon
Al-Sharaa's government is also considering no military interventions in Lebanon. US President Donald Trump had recently demanded that Syria should "take care of" Hezbollah. The Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah militia and al-Sharaa had faced each other as opponents in the Syrian civil war.
UN Chief Visits Syria
Al-Sharaa's remarks coincided with a visit by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to Syria — the first by a UN chief to the country since 2009. Guterres called for respect for Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Violations by Israel of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement were unacceptable and must stop, he stated. On Sunday, according to the Syrian state agency Sana, Israeli forces shelled areas in Syria and destroyed a transformer.
Background: Israeli Advances and the Golan Heights
Following the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by rebels led by al-Sharaa in December 2024, Israeli troops advanced into Syria and occupied strategic areas. They moved into a demilitarized zone on Syrian territory, including the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, which offers a view of the capital Damascus.
Israel had captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and annexed them in 1981.
Al-Sharaa is striving to restore Syria's standing, renew international relations, and rebuild the economy after nearly 14 years of war and the decades-long rule of the Assad family.
Source: rtr/saha
Source
Nachrichten - WELTWestern
Part of this Story
Syria's President Al-Sharaa Seeks Security Agreement with Israel, Maintains Golan Heights Claim