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Israel has signaled that they are open to reaching a peace agreement with Syria, but only under strict security conditions that include the establishment of a demilitarized buffer zone between both countries.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, relations between the US and Syria have totally changed course from where they were a few years ago. Once an adversary in the eyes of the US, Syria’s new President Ahmed al-Sharaa (previously a senior Islamist rebel figure who had ties to terrorist groups and once reportedly on a US watchlist) has now been embraced by the Trump administration following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late 2024. President Trump has praised al-Sharaa’s leadership as a “historic shift” and has repeatedly expressed satisfaction with Syria’s progress under his rule. Trump has openly called for Israel and Syria to build “a long and prosperous relationship together,” and his administration has been pushing to broker a non-aggression pact between the two nations.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly stated that a peace agreement with Syria is possible only if Israel’s specific security demands are met. Chief among those is the creation of a wide demilitarized buffer zone stretching “from Damascus to the [Israeli-held] buffer zone,” including the strategic areas approaching Mount Hermon. “We hold these areas in order to ensure the security of Israel’s citizens, and that is what obligates us,” Netanyahu said during a visit to IDF soldiers wounded in recent fighting. He stressed that while peace is possible “in a positive atmosphere and with understanding of these principles,” Israel will not budge from its core security red lines.
Netanyahu also highlighted the importance of protecting Israel’s northern border communities and its minority Druze population, who reside near the Syrian frontier. “We are determined to defend our communities on our borders… and to prevent the entrenchment of terrorists and hostile activities against us,” he said.
Syria, for its part, has not formally responded to Netanyahu’s buffer zone demands, but tensions remain high following recent violence. Just days before Netanyahu’s statement, Israeli forces carried out a raid in the Syrian town of Beit Jinn, southwest of Damascus, killing 13 people. Israel claimed the strike targeted a Lebanese Islamist militant group, but the Syrian government accused Israel of committing “war crimes,” pointing to the high civilian toll and the location of the attack in a largely non-combatant area. The raid also left six Israeli soldiers wounded.
