As negotiations between Israel and Syria collapsed in the final stages, the dispute over territorial demands, particularly from West Jerusalem, emerged as the central issue. Sources have claimed that discussions broke down due to Israel’s demand for a secure conduit on Syrian territory, a proposal that Damascus rejected as a violation of its sovereignty. This latest development follows several months of US-brokered talks, which had seen the two nations make progress toward a peace agreement. Earlier on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the start of negotiations, highlighting the importance of these discussions in the context of recent military successes against Iran-linked groups. The collapse of talks comes as Damascus and West Jerusalem had previously come close to agreeing on the broad outlines of a pact.
Under the proposed terms of the agreement, Israel would halt its attacks while Syria would agree not to place heavy military equipment near the Israeli border. A demilitarized zone would include the province of Sweida, where hundreds of people from the Druze community were killed in recent months. The talks come as Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose forces ousted Assad, made a landmark visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. He voiced hope for a security agreement, adding that Damascus is not creating problems for Israel. He also downplayed prospects for a more historic agreement in which Syria would recognize Israel.
West Jerusalem, which has a 120,000-strong Druze minority whose men serve in the Israeli military, has said it will protect Druze in Syria and carried out military strikes under the banner of defending them. Despite the collapse of negotiations, both sides have expressed willingness to continue discussions if conditions change. The US Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, had said on Tuesday that the two nations were already close to striking a de-escalation agreement. The breakdown of talks underscores the complex and sensitive nature of the Israeli-Syrian relationship, particularly regarding territorial disputes and security concerns. As tensions continue, the international community remains closely watching the situation for any signs of renewed diplomacy or further conflict.