Syria’s state news agency SANA reported Monday that U.S.-mediated negotiations between Syria and Israel have resumed after several months of deadlock, with Damascus demanding the withdrawal of Israeli forces from areas seized following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

Syrian Delegation and Objectives

• The Syrian team is led by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and intelligence chief Hussein al-Salama.
• Damascus insists the talks are aimed at reclaiming what it calls “non-negotiable national rights,” including sovereignty over territory occupied after Assad’s ouster.
• Syria seeks a return to pre-2024 positions and a reciprocal security framework to prevent external interference.

Focus on 1974 Disengagement Accord

Discussions center on reviving the 1974 disengagement agreement, which created a U.N.-monitored buffer zone after the 1973 Middle East war. Syria argues that Israel’s deeper incursions since Assad’s fall violate the spirit of that accord.

Israeli Position

Israel has justified its military presence as necessary to protect minority Druze communities in southwestern Syria. Officials have signaled willingness to negotiate but insist any deal must safeguard Israeli security, including possible demilitarization zones and guarantees for minority protections. Israel has not committed to a full withdrawal to pre-2024 lines.

U.S. Mediation and Diplomatic Context

Talks had stalled since October but were revived after a December 29 meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Syrian officials describe Israel’s withdrawal as a “red line,” rejecting any arrangement that legitimizes Israeli presence in Syria or the Golan Heights.

Broader Demands

Syria’s leadership is also pressing for an end to Israeli airstrikes and cross-border incursions, while Israel maintains that its security concerns must remain central to any agreement.