Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has said that he wants peace at the borders with neighbours, including Israel, as part of Damascus’s plan to rebuild the war-torn economy.
Sharaa said his government is actively working to reach a security agreement with Israel with the participation of several countries.
During his latest interview on Sunday night, he said he would favour a security deal with Israel that could serve as a platform for a broader and comprehensive peace between the two countries.
Israel, however, has occupied Syria’s strategic and oil-rich Golan Heights and has remained in control since the 1973 war.
It has recently captured more territory in the country under the pretext of creating a buffer zone between the two sides.
This latest approach suggests that the Syrian government, which is currently dealing with shadow organisations operating in the south and north of the country — including the brother of former dictator Bashar al-Assad — faces internal security issues, the return of refugees, and economic revival.
He said Syria is avoiding any clashes with Israel and that a security arrangement could pave the way for a broader and more comprehensive resolution to the crisis.
It also comes on the heels of repeated Israeli incursions and strikes in southern parts of Syria since al-Sharaa took office in December 2024 following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government.
Al-Sharaa also confirmed that Syria has no intention of launching any military intervention into neighbouring Lebanon, despite repeated rumours over the issue.
Instead, his government is currently discussing ways for Lebanese authorities to help the country overcome its current crisis and steer it towards safety.
According to UN estimates, around 100,000 people were forcibly disappeared during the war, while Syria’s National Commission on Missing Persons believes as many as 300,000 Syrians could be missing.
Also read: Iran-US maintain peace, Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea affected
Follow us
