Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Sunday that Damascus will not enter into any security agreement with Israel unless Israeli forces withdraw completely from all territory seized after Dec. 8, 2024. "It's not possible to have a security agreement with Israel while it occupies parts of Syrian soil," Shaibani said during a panel discussion at the Doha Forum. "The map should return to what it was on Dec. 7 last year." A day earlier, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa warned that any attempt by Israel to alter the 1974 Disengagement Agreement or pursue alternative arrangements — including a proposed buffer zone — would turn the region into "a dangerous place with unknown consequences." Speaking in a dialogue session at the Doha Forum 2025, Sharaa accused Israel of trying to "export its crises to other countries" and avoid responsibility for the war in Gaza. He said Israel continues to justify all actions under the pretext of security, while Syria, since its liberation, has "sent positive messages aimed at strengthening regional stability." Sharaa insisted that Israel must fully adhere to the 1974 agreement governing the ceasefire line in the Golan Heights. He questioned the logic of calls for a demilitarized buffer zone, asking who would secure such an area if Syrian forces are excluded. "Any agreement must guarantee Syria's interests," he said. "Syria is the party exposed to Israeli attacks, so who is more entitled to demand withdrawal and security arrangements?" He added that negotiations with Israel, with U.S. participation, are underway and that all countries involved support Syria's demand that Israel withdraw to the lines that existed before Dec. 8, 2024. Sharaa said Syria has rebuilt many of its international relationships since Bashar al-Assad's fall and is shifting "from a region exporting crises to a region that can be a model for regional stability." He pledged continued efforts to secure a full lifting of Caesar Act sanctions, saying the Trump administration supports that path and that economic recovery is essential to long-term stability. On governance, Sharaa said Syria has transitioned to a new system following what he described as the success of the "popular revolution." He said the current government is based on competence rather than quotas and is operating under a temporary constitutional declaration adopted after a nationwide dialogue. Under the declaration, the president may remain in office for five years while new laws are issued and a permanent constitution is drafted. Elections are expected after four years as part of the transition. "Syria is developing based on elections," he said. "The principle that the people choose who governs them is fundamental." Since Assad's overthrow on Dec. 8, 2024, the government has increased efforts to stabilize security across the country. — Agencies
