Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Sunday his government is working to reach a security agreement with Israel, but stressed that Syria will not concede its rights, according to a report by journalist Sapir Lipkin. The statement echoes his earlier interview with Al Jazeera.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Sunday reiterated his government's pursuit of a security agreement with Israel, while stressing that Syria will not relinquish its rights—a reference to the occupied Golan Heights. The statement, reported by journalist Sapir Lipkin in a reporters' chat citing a direct quote from al-Sharaa, follows the president's earlier interview with Al Jazeera and adds a more explicit caveat.
Earlier today (Sun 13:04 Jerusalem), multiple Israeli news outlets—including Channel 12, N12, and ynet—reported details from al-Sharaa's Al Jazeera interview, in which he said Syria is avoiding confrontation with Israel, working toward a security agreement, but will not concede the Golan. He also ruled out military intervention in Lebanon or fighting Hezbollah. The Zioneer published a bulletin at 13:53 Jerusalem summarizing the same points. The thread of reports have been consistent, with the message crystallizing from the initial Al Jazeera interview to the present direct quote.
As The Zioneer has reported over the past weeks, al-Sharaa has pursued a dual track: seeking diplomatic engagement with Israel and the United States while refusing to compromise on territorial claims. In a July 15 meeting with President Trump, he reportedly blamed Israel for stalled negotiations. He also met with UN Secretary-General Guterres on July 25. Al-Sharaa has publicly offered to sit with Hezbollah at the negotiating table if it serves Syrian and Lebanese interests, and has rejected Trump's proposal that Syrian forces fight Hezbollah.
The direct quote from al-Sharaa does not introduce new details about the security agreement's terms or timeline. Israel has not yet publicly responded to the president's latest comments. The status of the purported negotiations remains unclear.
10 developments
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- DevelopingSyrian President al-Sharaa's Independence Day greeting to Trump reported by Arab news channel
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