Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa stated that direct talks with Israel had nearly reached a 90 percent agreement on security arrangements over the past year before Israel withdrew for reasons it introduced. Speaking at an Atlantic Council event in New York, he made clear that Syria is not claiming lasting peace is immediately possible. Instead, he insisted that protecting the security and rights of Syrians must come first, arguing that broader peace discussions cannot proceed until those conditions are met. Al-Sharaa highlighted the need for Israeli forces to return to the 1974 disengagement lines and rejected any attempts to impose new facts on the ground in the south.

He also reaffirmed that the Golan Heights remain non-negotiable Syrian territory under international recognition. The remarks underscore the persistent barriers that continue to separate post-Assad Damascus and Jerusalem despite recent diplomatic openings and US mediation. In a region where the final details of any agreement have historically proven the most difficult, al-Sharaa’s account leaves open the question of whether the remaining gaps can still be bridged or whether the near-deal will become another prolonged stalemate.