Beirut, Lebanon – Israel’s refusal to return the occupied Golan Heights remains the main stumbling block in ongoing Syrian–Israeli negotiations, an Israeli security source told Al-Monitor on Friday.
According to the source, Tel Aviv has rejected the Syrian government’s demand to reclaim the strategic plateau, which Israel seized during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
The source added that meetings between Syrian and Israeli officials have become routine, with most of the talks taking place in Turkey under US mediation.
However, the source revealed divisions within Israel’s leadership on whether to seize the current moment to reach a security agreement with Damascus. Some officials remain skeptical about trusting Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, while others cited Israel’s past rapprochement with Turkey, which ultimately soured, as a cautionary tale, Al-Monitor reported.
The site noted that Israeli officials want to avoid repeating the same scenario with Syria.
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Meanwhile, Syria’s Ministry of Information denied earlier this week that any meetings or sessions had taken place between President Al-Sharaa and Israeli officials, according to state news agency SANA.
Previously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that President Al-Sharaa had opened a channel of communication with Israel, presenting a chance for peace.
