Damascus (TDI): Syria is accelerating talks with Israel on a limited security pact under US pressure, with Washington pushing for progress ahead of the UN General Assembly later this month, Reuters reported citing sources familiar with the negotiations.
The proposed pact, still far short of a peace treaty, would aim to reverse Israel’s recent territorial advances in Syria while re-establishing a demilitarized buffer zone agreed under a 1974 truce. It would also seek to halt Israeli airstrikes and ground incursions into Syrian territory, the report added.
The Golan Heights, captured by Israel in 1967 and annexed in 1981, reportedly remains off the table for now. “It will be left for the future.
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Washington is keen to announce a diplomatic achievement during the General Assembly, with President Donald Trump eyeing a role as the broker of a rare regional breakthrough.
Still, expectations remain low. Israel has shown little willingness to withdraw from territory seized in recent months, after scrapping the 1974 truce last December when a rebel offensive toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
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Syria and Israel have technically been at war since 1948, despite intermittent armistices. Damascus has never recognized Israel, and previous peace efforts have faltered over land disputes and regional rivalries.
