Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that an agreement with Syria is possible with good intentions and mutual understanding, following a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump for Israel not to hinder Syria's development into a prosperous state. This comes days after an Israeli incursion into a town near Damascus resulted in the deaths of 13 residents.
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that reaching an agreement with Syria is possible, and he expects Syria to establish a demilitarized buffer zone from Damascus to Mount Hermon and other areas. Netanyahu's comments came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke about the importance of maintaining a "strong and genuine dialogue" with Damascus.
During a visit to wounded soldiers in central Israel, Netanyahu said, "What we expect from Syria is, of course, the establishment of a demilitarized buffer zone from Damascus to the buffer area, including the entrances to Mount Hermon and the summit of Mount Hermon. We retain these areas to ensure the security of Israeli citizens, and this obligates us."
He added, "With good will and understanding of these principles, an agreement can be reached with the Syrians, but we will adhere to our principles in all circumstances."
These statements follow a phone call between the Israeli leader and U.S. President Donald Trump, who had earlier urged Israel to maintain a "strong and genuine dialogue" with Syria in a Truth Social post.
"It is essential that Israel maintains a strong and genuine dialogue with Syria and that nothing interferes with Syria's evolution into a prosperous state," Trump wrote.
After the fall of Bashar al-Assad nearly a year ago, Israel occupied the Syrian side of Mount Hermon and the demilitarized zone between the two countries, located on Syrian territory, citing reasons of self-defense against potential threats.
Although Israel initially claimed that these threats could come from Islamist militias seizing weapons from the former regime, the Israeli government eventually came to consider the new Syrian regime itself a danger.
In this regard, Netanyahu added on Tuesday that what he expects from Syria is to be able to "establish a demilitarized buffer zone from Damascus and, of course, another from the entrance to Mount Hermon to its summit."
"We maintain these territories to guarantee the security of Israeli citizens, and this is what obligates us," the Israeli leader emphasized in his statement.
Additionally, Netanyahu visited soldiers wounded during last week's skirmish 40 kilometers from the Syrian capital. "After October 7, we are determined to protect our communities on our borders, including the northern border, and to prevent the establishment of terrorist bastions and hostile actions," Netanyahu detailed in the statement, reaffirming Israel's position over the past year.
