Israel’s “David Corridor” plan falters as Syria regains control

Recent military and political developments in Syria have significantly undermined Israel’s long-term “David Corridor” concept, a strategy designed to establish an uninterrupted zone of influence stretching from the occupied Golan Heights through eastern Syria to Iraq. Advances by the Syrian army along the Euphrates line, particularly in areas previously under YPG/SDF control, have broken the territorial continuity required for the plan to function, altering the balance on the ground in favour of Damascus and its regional partners, including Türkiye.

Strategic roots of the David Corridor concept

The so-called David Corridor refers to a route extending from the Golan Heights through Quneitra, Daraa, Suwayda, eastern Homs and Deir ez-Zor, reaching the Iraqi border. Analysts link its ideological foundation to narratives of a “Greater Israel” stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates. Israeli calls for the demilitarisation of southern Syria, statements by senior officials advocating federal fragmentation, and the permanent Israeli military presence in the Golan and Mount Hermon have been widely interpreted as elements of this broader strategy.

Minority politics and fragmentation efforts

According to regional observers, Israel sought to consolidate strategic depth by leveraging minority groups and non-state actors inside Syria. This approach included outreach to Druze and Alawite communities, engagement with non-Arab tribes, and indirect cooperation with the YPG/SDF, which Ankara identifies as the Syrian branch of the PKK terrorist organisation. These efforts were seen as attempts to weaken central authority in post-conflict Syria and entrench long-term influence through demographic and political fragmentation.

Control of energy, water and food routes

The corridor also covers some of Syria’s most critical natural and economic assets. Deir ez-Zor hosts the country’s largest oil and gas reserves, including the al-Omar, Tanak and Koniko fields, which account for a major share of national energy production. The Euphrates basin, the Tishrin, Tabqa, al-Baath and Deir ez-Zor dams, as well as key water resources linked to the Golan Heights, form the backbone of Syria’s electricity generation, irrigation and food security. Control over these nodes would have provided decisive leverage over Syria’s economy.

Syrian army advances reshape the battlefield

Beginning in mid-January, the Syrian army designated several YPG/SDF-held areas west of the Euphrates as military zones and launched coordinated operations that brought Deir Hafir, Maskanah and later Tabqa back under state control. Tribal groups in Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa also mobilised against YPG/SDF elements, declaring allegiance to Damascus and helping secure oil fields and urban centres. Reports from Hasakah province, including Shaddadi, pointed to further defections and local uprisings, enabling the army’s eastward expansion and directly disrupting the corridor’s geographic core.

Lobbying efforts intensify in Washington

As developments on the ground weakened Israel’s position, pro-Israel lobbying networks in the United States moved to increase political pressure. US lawmakers associated with AIPAC signalled the possible revival and tightening of Caesar Act sanctions if Damascus continued military operations against the SDF. Media reports also cited warnings that additional economic measures could be considered should the Syrian army consolidate further gains.

Türkiye’s role proves decisive

Lebanese political scientist Dr Leila Nicolas said the failure of the David Corridor plan reflects both Syria’s battlefield successes and Türkiye’s firm stance. She argued that without control of the Euphrates axis, the project loses its operational foundation and remains merely theoretical. Nicolas stressed that Ankara’s clear opposition to any PKK-linked entity or high-autonomy structure in northeastern Syria has been a decisive factor, while the United States has increasingly prioritised regional stability through a unified Syrian state rather than redrawing borders.