Golan Heights: Syria Demands a Third of the Territory to Seal Peace with Israel

In a major diplomatic shift, Syria, under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, is demanding that Israel return a third of the Golan Heights as a precondition for a peace agreement. “There is no such thing as a free peace,” a Syrian source close to the president told i24NEWS, emphasizing the importance of this concession in rallying Syrian public opinion. This demand comes as direct talks between Damascus and Jerusalem, unprecedented in their openness, focus on security and military coordination in southern Syria.

Two scenarios are being considered for a political settlement. The first proposes that Israel retain a strategic third of the Golan Heights, return one-third to Syria, and lease the remaining third for 25 years. The second, more ambitious, would see Israel retain two-thirds of the Golan Heights, return one-third to Syria with a lease option, while ceding the Lebanese city of Tripoli and potentially territories in northern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley to Syria. These bold proposals reflect Damascus’s desire to reassert its sovereignty while taking into account Israel’s strategic imperatives.

“President al-Sharaa has demonstrated unprecedented openness,” the source said, noting that the return of territories beyond those seized by the Israeli army after the fall of the Assad regime is crucial to legitimizing an agreement with the Syrians. “Without this, al-Sharaa risks strong internal opposition,” she warned. The source also clarified that the lifting of US sanctions, while welcome, cannot be considered an Israeli quid pro quo for peace: “That’s a separate issue.”

These negotiations, facilitated through direct channels of communication, mark a historic shift in Syrian-Israeli relations. However, the Golan Heights issue, annexed by Israel in 1981 and recognized by the United States in 2019, remains a major sticking point. The talks, which could reshape regional geopolitics, are being closely followed by international actors as Syria seeks to reposition itself after years of civil war.