Netanyahu says Israel seeks 'peaceful border' with Syria amid occupation expansion

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel’s interest is to have a “peaceful border” with Syria and to ensure the safety of minorities, including Druze and Christian communities. Speaking alongside US President Donald Trump in Florida, Netanyahu added that Israel wants to prevent terrorist threats and attacks near its border.

Occupation of the Golan Buffer Zone

Netanyahu’s comments follow Israel’s expansion into the demilitarized buffer zone in the Syrian Golan Heights after the fall of the Bashar al‑Assad regime in December 2024, a move that violated the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement with Syria. Israeli forces have since conducted near‑daily incursions into southern Syria, particularly in Quneitra governorate, carrying out arrests, establishing checkpoints, and clearing forested areas—actions that have stirred local resentment.

Stalled Security Talks and Diverging Demands

US‑mediated security talks between Damascus and Tel Aviv have so far failed to produce an agreement. Israel is pushing for a new security arrangement, while Syria insists on an Israeli withdrawal to pre‑December 8, 2024 lines and the restoration of the 1974 agreement. Israeli leaders have declared that agreement void until “order is restored in Syria.”

Political Transition in Syria

Syrian President Bashar al‑Assad fled to Russia on December 8, 2024, ending decades of Baath Party rule. Ahmed Al‑Sharaa, who led anti‑regime forces, was declared transitional president in late January, ushering in a period of political uncertainty that has further complicated border security negotiations.