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Israel and Syria have reached a disagreement over Israeli military operations in Syrian territory during ongoing security discussions, according to reports from Israeli media.
The Jerusalem Post, citing unnamed sources familiar with the negotiations, reported that the two administrations are at odds over Israel's ability to conduct strikes within Syrian borders as part of any potential agreement.
The Damascus administration has explicitly stated that no agreement would permit Israel to conduct strikes on Syrian territory, according to the report.
Israel, however, is demanding the freedom to conduct operations against what it describes as security threats in exchange for withdrawing from occupied buffer zones.
Sources indicated that Israel remains insistent on retaining this operational capability, even as it has recently softened its rhetoric toward Syria.
In a statement earlier this week, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar reiterated Israel's position on the Golan Heights, stating, "Israel applied its laws to the Golan Heights over 40 years ago, and in any peace agreement, the Golan will remain an inseparable part of the State of Israel."
Saar also said that Tel Aviv hopes to expand the Abraham Accords by including Syria and Lebanon, but only if its security interests are 'fully safeguarded.'
According to the report, these talks are focused more on a security arrangement than on a full peace agreement.
"Even if an agreement is reached, it will be a cold peace, at least in the initial stage," one source noted. This "cold peace" would not immediately change the status of the Golan Heights, which Israel continues to occupy, but would address issues surrounding the buffer zones between the two countries.
One source added that the primary goal of the negotiations at this stage is to establish cooperation in countering security threats, rather than achieving a comprehensive peace deal.
"At this stage, it will be less a peace agreement and more a security arrangement aimed at cooperating against civilian threats," the source stated.
The expansion of the Abraham Accords, which have already seen normalization agreements between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco, remains a key goal for the Israeli government.
Saar stated Syria and Lebanon as potential candidates for inclusion in the accords, although it is clear that any such agreement would depend heavily on the resolution of ongoing security concerns.
While Israel has made its position clear, Syria has yet to issue any official response to the discussions.
Meanwhile, the Americans have made moves to support these talks, with U.S. President Donald Trump signing an executive order to lift most sanctions on Syria.
This decision is expected to facilitate discussions between the Israeli and Syrian administrations, with sources indicating that the removal of sanctions could help move the security talks forward.
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