Washington, D.C. – November 11, 2025 – In a stark reminder of the complexities surrounding Middle East peace efforts, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa firmly ruled out any immediate direct negotiations with Israel to normalize diplomatic ties, citing the Jewish state's ongoing occupation and recent expansion of control over the strategic Golan Heights. The remarks, delivered during a high-profile interview on Fox News, come as U.S. President Donald Trump, fresh off his second-term inauguration, intensifies diplomatic overtures to broaden the Abraham Accords – the normalization framework he championed during his first administration.
Al-Sharaa, the 43-year-old former rebel commander who rose to power after leading the swift overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024, emphasized the unique geopolitical burdens facing Syria compared to other Arab nations that have embraced the accords. "I believe that the situation in Syria is different from the situation of the countries who signed on to the Abraham Accords," he stated in translated comments, his tone measured but resolute. "Syria has borders with Israel, and Israel occupies the Golan Heights since 1967. We are not going to enter into negotiation directly right now. Maybe the United States administration with President Trump will help us reach this kind of negotiation."
The Golan Heights, a rugged plateau spanning about 1,200 square kilometers, has been a flashpoint since Israel captured it from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War. Annexed by Israel in 1981 – a move unrecognized by the international community except for the United States under Trump's first term – the territory holds immense strategic value, offering elevated positions overlooking Syrian and Lebanese landscapes, as well as access to the Sea of Galilee's water resources. Tensions escalated dramatically in late 2024 following Assad's downfall, when Israeli forces seized the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) buffer zone and advanced into additional Syrian positions, including the strategically vital Mount Hermon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified the moves as "temporary defensive measures" to prevent jihadist threats from spilling across the border, but Syrian officials decried them as a blatant violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement.
By early 2025, Israel's expansion had solidified, with the Knesset approving a multimillion-dollar plan to double the settler population in the Golan to over 50,000, including new infrastructure and agricultural developments. This has drawn widespread condemnation from Arab states and the United Nations, which continues to view the entire area as occupied Syrian territory. Al-Sharaa's invocation of the Golan underscores a core Syrian red line: no normalization without territorial concessions. "The conditions faced by Damascus are different," he reiterated, highlighting how Syria's direct border and historical grievances set it apart from non-frontline states like the United Arab Emirates or Morocco.
Trump's enthusiasm for pulling Syria into the Abraham Accords orbit reflects his broader vision of reshaping Middle East alliances. Brokered in 2020, the accords facilitated diplomatic, economic, and security ties between Israel and four Arab nations: the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. Last week, Kazakhstan became the fifth signatory in a largely symbolic move, given its pre-existing relations with Israel since 1992. The Central Asian nation's entry – announced during a trilateral call involving Trump, Netanyahu, and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev – was hailed by the White House as a "major step forward in building bridges across the world." Trump, posting on Truth Social, called it the "first of many" in his second term, teasing a White House signing ceremony and hinting at Saudi Arabia's potential inclusion.
Yet, Syria's inclusion has proven elusive. Trump has repeatedly voiced optimism, describing al-Sharaa as a "young, attractive guy" and a "tough fighter" during their landmark White House meeting on November 10 – the first by a Syrian leader since 1946. That historic encounter, which included a joint press conference and al-Sharaa's brief wave to cheering Syrian expatriates outside the Oval Office, marked a dramatic turnaround for a man once designated a global terrorist with a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head. As leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist group that spearheaded Assad's ouster, al-Sharaa – formerly known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Julani – had deep al-Qaeda ties. But since assuming the presidency in early 2025, he has rebranded himself as a pragmatic statesman, pledging minority protections, refugee returns, and institutional reforms.
The White House visit yielded immediate fruits: Syria's formal entry into the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, coordinated military discussions against Daesh remnants, and a U.S. commitment to maintain its 900-troop presence in eastern Syria – albeit under Damascus's oversight. Al-Sharaa acknowledged the necessity of American forces, saying, "There are reasons for the U.S. military to maintain its presence in my country, but it needs to be with coordination with the Syrian government right now." He added, "We need to discuss these matters, and we need to talk about and get into an agreement about ISIS." This pragmatic stance aligns with Trump's deal-making ethos, but the Israeli hurdle looms large.
Behind the scenes, U.S.-mediated security talks between Syria and Israel have progressed since May 2025, when Trump first met al-Sharaa in Riyadh alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Those discussions, facilitated by the UAE, focus on updating the 1974 disengagement pact to include demilitarization zones and intelligence-sharing against mutual threats like Iranian proxies. Reports from Anadolu Agency and Israeli media suggest a potential agreement could be inked soon, but al-Sharaa has consistently distanced himself from full normalization. In a September interview with former CIA Director David Petraeus, he described any deal as "falling short of Abraham Accords-style agreements," citing Arab public anger over Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
This caution resonates amid Syria's fragile transition. Assad's fall – a lightning ten-day offensive by HTS and Turkish-backed Syrian National Army forces that captured Aleppo, Homs, and Damascus – ended 54 years of Ba'athist rule but unleashed a power vacuum. Backed by Turkey and Qatar, al-Sharaa's government has dissolved HTS's military wing, released thousands from notorious prisons like Sednaya, and pursued inclusive governance. Yet challenges persist: clashes with Assad loyalists in Alawite-majority coastal areas, Kurdish autonomy demands in the northeast, and economic devastation from 13 years of war, which displaced 13 million and killed over 500,000.
Internationally, al-Sharaa's rehabilitation has been swift. The U.S. revoked his terrorist designation in November 2024, followed by the UN Security Council's sanctions lift in early 2025. Trump signed an executive order in June delisting Syria from most sanctions, including the Caesar Act, to spur reconstruction – a move that unlocked $100 billion in frozen assets and Gulf investments. Saudi Arabia, once a fierce Assad foe, hosted al-Sharaa's first foreign trip in February, signaling Riyadh's pivot toward the new Damascus. Even Russia, Assad's longtime patron, has pragmatically engaged, though it retains bases in Tartus and Latakia.
For Trump, integrating Syria into the anti-ISIS coalition is a win against Iran and Russia, whose influence has waned since Assad's exile in Moscow. Iranian-backed militias, once 50,000 strong, have been expelled, and Hezbollah's supply lines severed. But Israeli skepticism persists. Netanyahu views al-Sharaa's HTS roots warily, insisting on ironclad guarantees against jihadist resurgence. Recent Israeli airstrikes – over 700 since December 2024 – targeted Syrian arms depots, though they've tapered since Trump's sanctions relief. A senior Israeli official told Axios that Jerusalem seeks a "phased" path: buffer zone security first, full peace later.
Al-Sharaa's Fox News appearance, timed with his D.C. visit, underscores his balancing act. Broadcasting from the White House, he fielded questions on everything from refugee returns – over 1.5 million since January – to minority rights, pledging protections for Syria's 10% Christian population and Druze communities. On ISIS, he detailed joint operations yielding 71 arrests last month, including explosives seizures in Deir ez-Zor. Yet, his Israel stance drew the sharpest lines, echoing earlier rebuffs in New York and Ankara.
Analysts see this as savvy diplomacy. "Al-Sharaa is threading the needle: cooperating with Washington without alienating his base," said Dareen Khalifa of the International Crisis Group. Public opinion polls in Damascus show 70% oppose normalization amid Golan grievances and Gaza solidarity. Still, indirect channels – via U.S. envoys like Steve Witkoff – could yield de-escalation pacts, potentially stabilizing the border and freeing resources for Syria's $400 billion rebuild.
As Trump eyes Saudi Arabia's accord entry – contingent on Palestinian progress – al-Sharaa's words temper expectations. "Peace requires justice," he concluded, invoking the Golan. In a region of seismic shifts – from Assad's fall to Gaza's ceasefire – Syria's path remains a litmus test for Trump's "club of strength." Whether it leads to accords or stalemate, one thing is clear: the ghosts of 1967 endure.
