Will Syria Normalise Relations with Israel?
Since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Syria and Israel have fought in several major wars, especially in 1967 and 1973. Syria never recognised Israel and both countries have no diplomatic relations. One of the biggest problems between them is the Golan Heights, a mountainous area that Israel occupied in 1967 and later annexed in 1981. Most countries around the world did not recognise this annexation. Peace talks were attempted in the 1990s but failed mainly because of disagreement on the future of the Golan Heights.
In December 2024, the Assad regime collapsed. A new transitional government led by Ahmed al Sharaa came to power. Al Sharaa has shown a more practical and flexible approach than his predecessor. He has spoken about rebuilding the country, improving foreign relations and even considering dialogue with Israel.
According to media reports, Syria and Israel have started direct talks. The US supports this new development. Some American officials believe that Syria could join the Abraham Accords, the same agreement that helped Israel to normalise relations with the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. It is reported that US President Donald Trump encouraged Syria to take this step during his visit to Saudi Arabia earlier this year.
However, many difficulties stand in the way.
The Golan Heights remains the biggest obstacle. Some Israeli news reports have suggested that Syria might be ready to quietly accept the loss of the Golan in exchange for other benefits. But such a decision could create a lot of anger inside Syria and in the wider Arab world. For its part, Israel says it will not return the Golan under any condition.
Another big issue is Iran. Israel wants all Iranian forces and militias like Hezbollah to leave Syria. This is an important condition for Israel. On the other hand, Iran has had a strong presence in Syria for years, especially during the civil war. Even if the new Syrian leadership wants to move away from Iran, doing so completely will not be easy.
There is also concern about Türkiye. After Assad's fall, Türkiye increased its military presence in northern Syria. There are reports that Türkiye is working on a defence agreement with the new Syrian government. Israel is not happy with this and has increased its air strikes in Syria to stop any Turkish military expansion near its borders.
Meanwhile, Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are following the situation closely. Saudi Arabia may see Syrian-Israeli talks as a positive signal for its own possible future steps with Israel. The UAE is already playing an active role in supporting the talks.
Inside Syria, things are more complicated. The country is still weak and recovering from many years of war. The new leadership is not yet strong or fully in control of all parts of Syria. Many Syrians have been raised with anti-Israel views and normalisation could face strong public opposition.
Because of all this, a full peace treaty is unlikely in the near future. However, smaller steps may be possible. For example, Syria and Israel could sign a security agreement or a non-aggression deal. This could include Israeli demands to stop the presence of Iran and Türkiye in southern Syria, while Syria would want Israel to stop its air strikes.
Even if full normalisation is still far away, the recent talks show that both countries are at least willing to communicate. This is a new development after so many years of silence.
The road to peace is still long and full of challenges. But the change in Syrian leadership, the interest of regional powers and international support are giving hope that something new might happen.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Observer
43 minutes ago
- Observer
Gaza truce talks stall over Israel withdrawal; 17 killed in aid hub
GAZA: Talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza are stalling over the extent of Israeli forces' withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave, Palestinian and Israeli sources familiar with the negotiations in Doha said on Saturday. The indirect talks over a US proposal for a 60-day ceasefire are nonetheless expected to continue, the sources said. In Gaza, medics said 17 people trying to get food aid were killed on Saturday when Israeli troops opened fire, the latest mass shooting around a US-backed aid distribution system that the UN says has resulted in 800 people killed in six weeks. Witnesses who spoke to Reuters described people being shot in the head and torso. Reuters saw several bodies of victims wrapped in white shrouds as family members wept at Nasser Hospital. The Israeli military said its troops had fired warning shots, but that its review of the incident had found no evidence of anyone hurt by its soldiers' fire. Delegations from Israel and Hamas have been in Qatar for a week in a renewed push for an agreement which envisages a phased release of hostages, Israeli troop withdrawals and discussions on ending the war. US President Donald Trump, who hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the past week, had said he hoped for a deal soon. But the Israeli and Palestinian sources described longstanding issues that remain unresolved. A Palestinian source said that Hamas had rejected withdrawal maps which Israel had proposed that would leave around 40 per cent of Gaza under Israeli control, including all of the southern area of Rafah and further territories in northern and eastern Gaza. Two Israeli sources said Hamas wanted Israel to retreat to lines it held in a previous ceasefire before it renewed its offensive in March. The Palestinian source said matters regarding aid and guarantees on an end to the war were also presenting a challenge. The crisis could be resolved with more US intervention, the source said. Hamas has long demanded an agreement to end the war before it would free remaining hostages; Israel has insisted it would end the fighting only when all hostages are released and Hamas is dismantled as a fighting force and administration in Gaza. — AFP
Observer
6 hours ago
- Observer
Will Syria Normalise Relations with Israel?
The possibility of peace between Syria and Israel has returned to the surface after many years of silence. The two countries have been enemies for more than seven decades and their relationship has always been full of conflict, mistrust and political disputes. But after the fall of Bashar al Assad's government and the formation of a new government in Damascus, there are now signs that Syria might be ready to change direction and open a new page with Israel. Since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Syria and Israel have fought in several major wars, especially in 1967 and 1973. Syria never recognised Israel and both countries have no diplomatic relations. One of the biggest problems between them is the Golan Heights, a mountainous area that Israel occupied in 1967 and later annexed in 1981. Most countries around the world did not recognise this annexation. Peace talks were attempted in the 1990s but failed mainly because of disagreement on the future of the Golan Heights. In December 2024, the Assad regime collapsed. A new transitional government led by Ahmed al Sharaa came to power. Al Sharaa has shown a more practical and flexible approach than his predecessor. He has spoken about rebuilding the country, improving foreign relations and even considering dialogue with Israel. According to media reports, Syria and Israel have started direct talks. The US supports this new development. Some American officials believe that Syria could join the Abraham Accords, the same agreement that helped Israel to normalise relations with the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. It is reported that US President Donald Trump encouraged Syria to take this step during his visit to Saudi Arabia earlier this year. However, many difficulties stand in the way. The Golan Heights remains the biggest obstacle. Some Israeli news reports have suggested that Syria might be ready to quietly accept the loss of the Golan in exchange for other benefits. But such a decision could create a lot of anger inside Syria and in the wider Arab world. For its part, Israel says it will not return the Golan under any condition. Another big issue is Iran. Israel wants all Iranian forces and militias like Hezbollah to leave Syria. This is an important condition for Israel. On the other hand, Iran has had a strong presence in Syria for years, especially during the civil war. Even if the new Syrian leadership wants to move away from Iran, doing so completely will not be easy. There is also concern about Türkiye. After Assad's fall, Türkiye increased its military presence in northern Syria. There are reports that Türkiye is working on a defence agreement with the new Syrian government. Israel is not happy with this and has increased its air strikes in Syria to stop any Turkish military expansion near its borders. Meanwhile, Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are following the situation closely. Saudi Arabia may see Syrian-Israeli talks as a positive signal for its own possible future steps with Israel. The UAE is already playing an active role in supporting the talks. Inside Syria, things are more complicated. The country is still weak and recovering from many years of war. The new leadership is not yet strong or fully in control of all parts of Syria. Many Syrians have been raised with anti-Israel views and normalisation could face strong public opposition. Because of all this, a full peace treaty is unlikely in the near future. However, smaller steps may be possible. For example, Syria and Israel could sign a security agreement or a non-aggression deal. This could include Israeli demands to stop the presence of Iran and Türkiye in southern Syria, while Syria would want Israel to stop its air strikes. Even if full normalisation is still far away, the recent talks show that both countries are at least willing to communicate. This is a new development after so many years of silence. The road to peace is still long and full of challenges. But the change in Syrian leadership, the interest of regional powers and international support are giving hope that something new might happen.
Observer
a day ago
- Observer
The Palestinian struggle: History's cruelty and the logic of brutality
The current Israeli leadership appears in no hurry to end the campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people. On the contrary, it proceeds with arrogance and cruelty, descending into ever darker depths of brutality not seen since the massacres in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995, the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes, and the atrocities committed by American forces during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Every day, hundreds of Palestinian martyrs fall - mostly children and women - yet their deaths are reduced to a passing item in international news coverage. Some Arab and Gulf media outlets even report such tragedies timidly, towards the end of their bulletins, perhaps after segments on the 'heat issue with the latest iPhone", or a celebrity break-up, or the latest Elie Saab fashion collection. This media behaviour is, unfortunately, unsurprising. It is consistent with the Israeli doctrine of power, sustained by Washington's political, military and logistical backing. The Israeli government continues its campaign of destruction and assassinations, seeking to erase the Palestinian cause from regional and global discourse through bombardment, starvation and siege. Such acts have become the very identity of the Israeli regime in its dealings with Palestinians, Arabs and Iranians — turning Palestinians into the diasporic tragedy of our age, scattered in refugee camps and exiled across the globe, reduced to a footnote on the margins of the Zionist project and the ambitions of some of its regional allies. The Guardian reported on July 7, 2025 that the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change has joined the post-war planning for Gaza. The plans include building a 'Trump Riviera' and an industrial zone named after Elon Musk, in partnership with Israeli businessmen. These proposals fall under US President Donald Trump's vision of turning occupied Palestinian land into a commercial resort. Meanwhile, the Palestinian political landscape remains fractured. The President of the Palestinian Authority has gone so far as to demand that Hamas lay down its arms - a move interpreted by many as a prelude to their extermination at the hands of Israeli forces. This signals the Palestinian leadership's continued entrapment in the mindset of factionalism, rather than adopting a unified ideology and strategy for comprehensive resistance. Their banners have become scattered, their voices fragmented by the agendas of regional patrons, foreign sponsors and ideological opportunists - unlike many historic liberation movements around the world. The wider Arab world is witnessing a surreal collapse. It is a descent into chaos not seen since the region gained independence following the Second World War. Still, an ironic twist in this grim context is the growing wave of ethical outrage in Europe, where public pressure is beginning to influence political discourse. Slogans such as 'Death to the IDF' have emerged. Western governments - some for the first time - are voicing criticism against the Israeli government. Even in the US, shifts in public sentiment suggest that the long-standing narrative around Israel and Palestine is beginning to unravel. Despite the bleak present - military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, apartheid walls, discriminatory laws, forced displacement, and the transformation of Gaza into the world's largest open-air prison - Israel is facing existential dilemmas. Its international isolation is deepening, and global human rights groups, including war crimes tribunals, are increasingly describing its conduct as genocidal. Internally, Israeli society is fragmenting. Political and societal divisions are widening, extremist factions have risen to power, and public trust in the state and its leadership is eroding. In contrast, a new generation of Palestinians is rising - fearless, with nothing left to lose, and unwilling to settle for anything less than dignity, justice and the right of return. Israel, as a colonial occupying force that thrives on violence, exclusion and American support, is not immune to collapse. The Middle East, with its storms and uprisings, offers many lessons. No state built on the ruins of an entire people can enjoy lasting security or peace. The recent Iranian ballistic missile strike on Tel Aviv stands as a stark reminder of the region's volatility and the price of injustice. YAHYA AL AUFI The writer is an Omani writer and translator Translated by Badr Al Dhafri The original version of this article was published in 'Oman' Arabic print edition of the newspaper on July 10
