Ahmad al-Sharaa Says Syria Demands Israel Withdraw From Golan To 1974 Borders

Syria’s transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa said on Friday that his country “saved the region” by preventing its lands from being used as a platform for attacks that destabilize neighboring states, and he framed Damascus’s approach as “a diplomatic approach to resolving crises.”

“President Ahmed al-Shara' said on Friday that his country has played a pivotal role in protecting regional stability by preventing conflicts from spreading to neighboring states, stressing that Damascus today embraces a diplomatic approach to resolving crises”

Al-Jazeera Net

Speaking at the Antalya Diplomatic Forum in Turkey, al-Sharaa announced that the northeast region of Syria is free of any foreign bases after “the last American truck left yesterday, Friday,” and Damascus welcomed “the ‘final handover of the military sites that had been occupied by American forces in Syria to the Syrian government’.”

Al-Jazeera Net

The Syrian Defense Ministry said its forces took over the Qasrk base, located between Tel Tamr and Qamishli in Hasakeh Province, after the withdrawal of the international coalition against ISIS.

In the same forum, al-Sharaa praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to halt the war in Lebanon, while also stressing that Syria is directly affected by that conflict and pushing toward dialogue and diplomacy to establish peace.

Al-Sharaa also rejected any recognition of Israel’s right to the occupied Golan, saying it is “an inherent right of the Syrian people,” and he said negotiations with Israel are progressing “with great difficulty” because of Israel’s insistence on remaining on Syrian soil.

U.S. envoy Tom Barrack told the forum that the United States “did not double its military presence” but completed the withdrawal of its forces from Syria and handed over all military bases, and he said the time has come to resume talks between Syria and Israel.

Multiple outlets reported that al-Sharaa’s central diplomatic proposal links any future negotiations to a security arrangement that would guarantee Israel’s withdrawal to the 1974 disengagement lines.

In Antalya, al-Sharaa said Syria is working to reach a “security agreement” that guarantees the withdrawal of the occupation forces to the 1974 lines, and he described the talks as being in an “initial stage” focused on that security framework.

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)

TRT World quoted al-Sharaa saying Damascus is seeking “a new security agreement guaranteeing Israel’s withdrawal to the 1974 disengagement lines as part of a phased approach,” and it added that the 1974 agreement had held for more than five decades before being undermined by Israeli violations after the fall of Bashar al Assad’s regime in December 2024.

Shafaq News reported that al-Sharaa urged Israel’s withdrawal from the Golan Heights and return to the 1974 disengagement lines, and it quoted him saying any recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights is “invalid.”

BSS/AFP reported that al-Sharaa said Syria could consider “long-term negotiations” with Israel on the disputed Golan Heights if Israel agreed to withdraw from “recently occupied Syrian territories,” and it quoted him saying Syria wanted “either to establish new rules that would reactivate the disengagement agreement or conclude a new agreement that would guarantee the security of both parties.”

Türkiye Today likewise said al-Sharaa accused Israel of violating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and said Syria is working to reach a security agreement that ensures Israel’s withdrawal from areas it occupied after Dec. 8, 2024, and its return to the 1974 lines.

While al-Sharaa presented Syria’s position as a diplomatic effort to avoid confrontation, other reporting emphasized that Israeli presence in Syria is a key obstacle to talks.

“Gift this articleShare to FacebookPrint article Article printing is available to subscribers only Print in a simple, ad-free format Subscribe Comments: SaveZen Reading Zen reading is available to subscribers only Ad-free and in a comfortable reading format Subscribe”

Haaretz

Haaretz said al-Sharaa told an interview published Thursday that “talks with Israel have not reached a dead end but remain difficult due to Israel's continued presence on Syrian territory.”

In the same broader diplomatic framing, Al-Jazeera Net reported that al-Sharaa said he does not believe negotiations with Israel have reached a dead end, but that they are progressing “with great difficulty” because of Israel’s insistence on remaining on Syrian soil.

Al-Jazeera Net also quoted U.S. envoy Tom Barrack praising what he called the “intelligence” shown by Syrian leadership in handling regional escalation, and it said Barrack expected that a normalization agreement between Syria and Israel may precede the agreement with Lebanon.

Shafaq News added that Barrack indicated Washington is pushing for renewed Syria-Israel talks and did not rule out a normalization agreement, possibly ahead of a similar deal with Lebanon.

At the same time, TRT World reported that despite the Syrian administration not issuing threats toward Israel, “Israeli forces have carried out air strikes in Syria since Assad’s ouster, killing civilians and targeting military sites, equipment and ammunition.”

Across the reporting, outlets framed the same diplomatic message—security guarantees tied to 1974 lines—through different emphases and additional details.

Al-Jazeera Net foregrounded the broader regional context, linking Syria’s stance to Lebanon and to U.S.-brokered steps, and it reported that Trump announced a ceasefire in Lebanon for 10 days after talks with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling on the two sides to come to the White House for “the first serious talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983.”

TRT World

TRT World, by contrast, focused tightly on the phased nature of the security proposal, quoting al-Sharaa’s description of “the first level (of talks)” and saying the 1974 agreement had held for more than five decades before being undermined after December 2024.

BSS/AFP and Türkiye Today both described the possibility of “long-term negotiations” but differed in how they characterized the trigger: BSS/AFP tied it to Israel withdrawing from “recently occupied Syrian territories,” while Türkiye Today tied it to Syria’s plan to secure withdrawal from areas occupied after Dec. 8, 2024 and return to the 1974 lines.

Shafaq News highlighted the diplomatic posture of Syria as a bridge, quoting al-Sharaa’s avoidance of aligning with either Iran or the United States, while also quoting Barrack’s view that Syria avoided escalation after the October 7, 2023 attacks.

The Times of Israël and Haaretz introduced a different angle by emphasizing negotiation scope and obstacles: The Times of Israël reported that Shaibani said the negotiations excluded the broader issue of the Golan Heights, while Haaretz reported al-Sharaa’s view that talks remain difficult due to Israel’s continued presence on Syrian territory.

Even as Syrian leaders discussed security arrangements and withdrawal to 1974 lines, SANA reported continued Israeli actions in southern Syria that Damascus described as violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

“Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa said on Friday that Damascus is seeking a new security agreement guaranteeing Israel’s withdrawal to the 1974 disengagement lines as part of a phased approach to possible broader negotiations”

TRT World

SANA said Israeli occupation forces on Friday transported three prefabricated units to Tal al-Ahmar al-Sharqi in the southern countryside of Quneitra, using three trucks carrying the units, accompanied by a crane, a bulldozer, and two Humvee vehicles, and began installing the structures at the hilltop.

Türkiye Today

SANA also said Israel continues to carry out repeated violations and breaches of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement through incursions into southern Syria, as well as raids, arrests, and land bulldozing targeting local residents.

The Syrian government, SANA reported, called for the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from its territory and stressed that all measures taken by the occupation in southern Syria are “null and void and have no legal effect under international law.”

SANA added that Syria urged the international community to assume its responsibilities, deter ongoing violations, and ensure the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Syria.

In parallel, Al-Jazeera Net reported that Syrian Defense Ministry forces took over the Qasrk base after the withdrawal of the international coalition against ISIS, and it said the northeast region is free of any foreign bases after the last American truck left.