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Source: https://www.ynetnews.com/opinions-analysis/article/b1yc300ylwe
Reaching a Comprehensive Security Agreement between Israel and Syria
(Ynet News) Tzachi Hanegbi - The 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria after the Yom Kippur War held for 50 years, until the collapse of Bashar Assad's regime in December 2024. There has been ongoing diplomatic dialogue between Israel and the new regime in Syria for some time. I had the opportunity to take part and was impressed that shared interests outweigh the points of division. Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria's president, has tied his country's fate to the U.S. and the West. In the Arab world, he is aligned with the moderate Sunni axis led by Saudi Arabia. The current Syrian leadership's hostility toward Iran and Hizbullah is deep and genuine. In my dialogue with senior Syrian officials, I became convinced that practical solutions can be found for each of the principles Israel must insist on: Our commitment to protect members of the Druze community living near our border with Syria; the need to prevent the deployment of state forces hostile to Israel in areas that threaten our freedom of action in distant arenas; and ensuring the demilitarization of southern Syria as part of the defense concept for the communities of the Golan Heights. Syria does not raise the issue of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights because there is no chance of change on this issue and because the Trump administration supports that sovereignty without reservation. Determined, continuous and effective action by Syrian regime forces to eradicate the activity of Iran, Hizbullah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad throughout Syria, alongside the complete demilitarization of the area south of Damascus, would expand Israel's room for flexibility. The writer served as Israel's National Security Advisor from 2023 to 2025.