Israel and Syria in advanced stages of security agreement, Syrian President Al-Sharaa tells Arab media

Israel and Syria could be close to signing a security agreement, according to reports in Hebrew and Arab media. 

Channel 12 News reported on Sunday evening that Israel and Syria could sign an agreement of understanding and security arrangements as early as the end of September, following mediation efforts by the United States and Gulf states. 

The report by Channel 12 claimed to reveal the main points of the expected agreement, which include: 

Demilitarization of the Syrian Golan Heights, from Damascus to Suweida, in order to minimize the risk of terror threats to Israel; 

Preventing the reconstruction of the Syrian national army by Turkey. Israel views the current level of cooperation between the Turkish military, Turkish-backed militants in Syria, and regime-aligned forces with significant concern; 

The prohibition of placing strategic weapons within Syria, such as missiles and advanced air defense systems. Israel seeks to preserve its freedom of action and air superiority, not only against possible threats from Syria, but also against Iran;

Increased focus on American and Gulf states as partners for reconstruction, in a bid to reduce influence from states hostile to Israel. 

Israel is interested in efforts to restore stability in Syria, but hopes to see restoration and reconstruction done by groups sensitive to its (Israel's) security concerns, hoping to minimize the risk of the Iran-Hezbollah axis – or the formation of a jihadi Sunni axis composed of ISIS – Al Qaeda, and Muslim Brotherhood elements. 

Nadim Koteich, the general manager of Sky News Arabia, participated in a meeting yesterday between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and leading Arab media figures. 

Koteich said the Syrian president affirmed discussions regarding a security arrangement with Israel during that meeting. 

“Al-Sharaa is at an advanced stage of reaching a security agreement with Israel; the chances of reaching such an agreement are greater than the chances of not reaching it,” Koteich said after the meeting. He also said that the security arrangement will likely be based on the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. The agreement would include guarantees intended to preserve Syria's sovereignty and would be intended to form a path to a future normalization agreement. 

However, Koteich noted that al-Sharaa does not believe the current circumstances are appropriate for signing a peace agreement with Israel. He noted that "if he [al-Sharaa] believes that a peace agreement will serve Syria and the region, he will not hesitate to do so and it will be done publicly.” 

Al-Sharaa addressed the situation in Syria, where fighting between Sunni militant groups and minorities, such as the Druze and the Alawites, has erupted multiple times in recent weeks. The Syrian president told the media delegation about the need for a united Syria and his opposition to any groups possessing weapons except government forces. 

According to Koteich, al-Sharaa said these two principles would form the basis for any arrangements with minority groups in Syria, including the Kurdish-backed SDF, the Druze, or the Alawites.