Damascus, SANA
Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa confirmed that security talks with Israel are underway, explaining that negotiations aim to restore the security arrangements that existed under the 1974 disengagement agreement. His remarks came during a televised interview with state-run Al-Ekhbariah on Friday.
Al-Sharaa noted that Israel initially viewed the collapse of Syria’s former regime as a breach of the agreement, but Damascus reaffirmed its commitment “from the very first moment,” notifying the United Nations and calling for UNDOF forces to return to their previous positions on the disengagement zone.
“We are now in the process of discussions with Israel, which considered the fall of the previous regime as Syria’s withdrawal from the 1974 Agreement, even though Syria affirmed from the very first moment its commitment to it, notified the United Nations, and requested that UNDOF forces return to their previous positions,” the President stated.
President Al-Sharaa accused Israel of seeking to divide Syria and being “surprised” by the rapid fall of the previous government. He added that some Israeli policies show “regret” over that collapse, alleging that Israel prefers Syria to remain a battlefield for regional score-settling. “Excessive fear leads to war,” he warned, urging de-escalation.
Al-Sharaa stressed that Syria seeks calm relations with all nations, including the United States, Russia, and its Arab neighbors, framing diplomacy as a cornerstone of post-war recovery.
“Syria has managed to build a good relationship with the United States and the West, maintain a calm relationship with Russia, and establish good relations with regional countries,” he remarked.
The Syrian President acknowledged that ties with Iran remain complicated but stopped short of declaring a permanent break.
“As for Iran, the wound was somewhat deeper, and we are not saying there will be a permanent rupture between us and the Iranians,” President Al-Sharaa affirmed.
The Agreement on Disengagement between Israel and Syria, signed on May 31, 1974, formalized the cease-fire in place after the 1973 War and created a UN peacekeeping force to separate Israeli and Syrian forces. The text explicitly stated that “this agreement is not a peace agreement. It is a step toward a just and durable peace on the basis of Security Council Resolution 338 of October 22, 1973.”
Following the fall of the Assad regime, Israel announced that it considered the agreement “void” until stability is restored in Syria. During a visit to the Syrian border last December, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the agreement had “collapsed.”
