Syria rejects sovereignty trade-off in response to reports of Israel talks

DAMASCUS – Syria has firmly rejected any notion that engaging in security talks with Israel could constitute a concession of its sovereignty, reiterating that the rights of the Syrian people are non-negotiable.

Speaking at a United Nations Security Council session on Thursday, Syria’s envoy Ibrahim Alabi said that recent reports suggesting Syria and Israel were nearing a US-brokered security agreement were misleading.

“Israel is mistaken if it believes that our participation in security talks implies a concession of Syrian rights,” Alabi told the Council, according to Syria’s state-run Al-Ikhbariya television.

The reports, based on an earlier Hebrew-language article, suggested a potential deal that would include a 25-year lease of the Golan Heights and the opening of an Israeli embassy in Damascus. The article claimed the negotiations could pave the way for unprecedented diplomatic and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Alabi dismissed the idea, accusing Israel of attempting to sow division among Syria’s population through “false slogans” and subversive rhetoric. “The Syrian people understand and are aware of Israel’s plots, which aim to provoke tensions between different components of society,” he said.

The envoy also rejected Israel’s claims regarding security concerns, walls and protective measures. “The fantasy that Israel has about borders and security risks does not reflect reality. The Golan is Syrian land, and military control does not equal sovereignty,” he added.

Alabi renewed Syria’s call for the removal of Israeli occupation forces from the UN-monitored separation zone, which he said has been unlawfully occupied since January 8, 2024. He highlighted the critical role of United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and the Golan monitoring team in observing and reporting Israeli violations as neutral witnesses.

The remarks came just hours after the Israeli army fired six artillery shells at rural areas in Daraa and Quneitra in southern Syria. On Wednesday, Israeli troops reportedly conducted incursions into three areas in Quneitra countryside, arresting a young man in what Damascus described as a continued violation of Syrian sovereignty.

The incidents occurred despite the establishment of a US-supervised liaison mechanism on January 6, designed to coordinate information sharing, reduce military escalation and explore diplomatic and commercial opportunities between Syria and Israel.

Despite this mechanism, Israeli forces have continued near-daily shelling of Syrian territory and ground incursions, particularly in rural Quneitra and Daraa. Reports indicate the army has detained civilians, erected checkpoints to search and interrogate passersby, and destroyed crops. Israeli officials have also reportedly issued threats against Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, warning him against targeting the Druze community.

Israel has occupied most of the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967. Syrian authorities say Israel exploited the fall of the Assad regime on 8 December 2024 to declare the 1974 disengagement agreement null and occupy the demilitarised buffer zone.

Syria has consistently argued that continued Israeli violations impede its ability to restore stability and hinder government efforts to attract investment and improve economic conditions. Alabi’s address reinforced Damascus’ stance that security discussions cannot come at the expense of national sovereignty or the rights of its people.