Israel Interested In Establishing Diplomatic Relations With Its Old Syrian-Lebanon Enemy

JAKARTA - Israel is interested in establishing official diplomatic relations with its old Syrian and Lebanese enemies, but will not negotiate the fate of the Golan Heights in any peace agreement.

This was conveyed by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar at a press conference on Monday, June 30.

Relations in the region have been hit by uncertainty due to more than a year of fighting between Israel and Lebanon since late 2023, along with the war in Gaza, and the ouster of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

Israel annexed the Golan Heights in 1981 after capturing most of the territory from Syria in the 1967 Six Day War.

In May, Reuters reported Israel and the new rulers of Syrian Islamists had direct contact and had held face-to-face meetings aimed at easing tensions and preventing conflict in the border area between the two enemies.

US President Donald Trump met with the Syrian president in Saudi Arabia in the same month and urged him to normalize relations with Israel, making a surprising announcement that the US would lift all sanctions against the Islamist-led government.

Immediately after the Assad in Syria was overthrown, Israeli forces moved into the demilitarized zone within Syria, including the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, which faces Damascus.