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Syria complying with Israeli demilitarization demands could trigger chaos — interim leader

Ahmed al-Sharaa emphasized that the Golan Heights, whose demilitarization is one of Israel’s demands for concluding a new security agreement, are a sovereign and indivisible part of the country

WASHINGTON, November 12. /TASS/. The Syrian leadership’s compliance with Israeli demands for the demilitarization of the territory south of Damascus up to the Golan Heights could cause chaos in that part of the country and create additional threats for the Jewish state, Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, said in an interview with The Washington Post.

"To talk about an entire region demilitarized, it will be difficult, because if there is any kind of chaos, who will protect it? If this demilitarized zone was used by some parties as a launching pad for hitting Israel, who is going to be responsible for that?" al-Sharaa pointed out.

He also emphasized that the aforementioned lands, whose demilitarization is one of Israel’s demands for concluding a new security agreement, are a sovereign and indivisible part of the country. "This is Syrian territory, and Syria should have the freedom of dealing with their own territory," the interim leader added.

In September, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that, during its negotiations with Syria, Israel seeks to obtain guarantees of southwest Syria’s demilitarization, and security guarantees for the Druze community.

On September 17, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer held US-brokered talks in London. According to Syria TV, the two ministers discussed a new draft agreement on security measures to replace the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement between Israel and Syria.

Following the change of power in Syria in early December 2024, the Israeli military announced that it assumed positions in the buffer zone in the Golan Heights which has been separating the Israel-and Syria-controlled territories since 1974. Among others, it took control of the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, facing no resistance. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria was no longer in effect after Syrian troops had left the area following the change of government in Damascus.