Will Syria Normalise Relations with Israel?

The possibility of peace between Syria and Israel has returned to the surface after many years of silence. The two countries have been enemies for more than seven decades and their relationship has always been full of conflict, mistrust and political disputes. But after the fall of Bashar al Assad’s government and the formation of a new government in Damascus, there are now signs that Syria might be ready to change direction and open a new page with Israel.

Since the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Syria and Israel have fought in several major wars, especially in 1967 and 1973. Syria never recognised Israel and both countries have no diplomatic relations. One of the biggest problems between them is the Golan Heights, a mountainous area that Israel occupied in 1967 and later annexed in 1981. Most countries around the world did not recognise this annexation. Peace talks were attempted in the 1990s but failed mainly because of disagreement on the future of the Golan Heights.

In December 2024, the Assad regime collapsed. A new transitional government led by Ahmed al Sharaa came to power. Al Sharaa has shown a more practical and flexible approach than his predecessor. He has spoken about rebuilding the country, improving foreign relations and even considering dialogue with Israel.

According to media reports, Syria and Israel have started direct talks. The US supports this new development. Some American officials believe that Syria could join the Abraham Accords, the same agreement that helped Israel to normalise relations with the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. It is reported that US President Donald Trump encouraged Syria to take this step during his visit to Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

However, many difficulties stand in the way.

The Golan Heights remains the biggest obstacle. Some Israeli news reports have suggested that Syria might be ready to quietly accept the loss of the Golan in exchange for other benefits. But such a decision could create a lot of anger inside Syria and in the wider Arab world. For its part, Israel says it will not return the Golan under any condition.

Another big issue is Iran. Israel wants all Iranian forces and militias like Hezbollah to leave Syria. This is an important condition for Israel. On the other hand, Iran has had a strong presence in Syria for years, especially during the civil war. Even if the new Syrian leadership wants to move away from Iran, doing so completely will not be easy.

There is also concern about Türkiye. After Assad’s fall, Türkiye increased its military presence in northern Syria. There are reports that Türkiye is working on a defence agreement with the new Syrian government. Israel is not happy with this and has increased its air strikes in Syria to stop any Turkish military expansion near its borders.

Meanwhile, Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are following the situation closely. Saudi Arabia may see Syrian-Israeli talks as a positive signal for its own possible future steps with Israel. The UAE is already playing an active role in supporting the talks.

Inside Syria, things are more complicated. The country is still weak and recovering from many years of war. The new leadership is not yet strong or fully in control of all parts of Syria. Many Syrians have been raised with anti-Israel views and normalisation could face strong public opposition.

Because of all this, a full peace treaty is unlikely in the near future. However, smaller steps may be possible. For example, Syria and Israel could sign a security agreement or a non-aggression deal. This could include Israeli demands to stop the presence of Iran and Türkiye in southern Syria, while Syria would want Israel to stop its air strikes.

Even if full normalisation is still far away, the recent talks show that both countries are at least willing to communicate. This is a new development after so many years of silence.

The road to peace is still long and full of challenges. But the change in Syrian leadership, the interest of regional powers and international support are giving hope that something new might happen.