Syrian President El-Assad Discusses Golan Heights, Past Peace Talks

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stated Tuesday that the Golan Heights are fully recognized by the UN as Syrian territory, asserting there is no room for debate on their ownership. Speaking at an Atlantic Council event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Assad addressed the issue of negotiations with Israel and the status of the Golan.

He revealed that Syria and Israel were close to a political settlement in the past, claiming, "We reached almost 90% of an agreement with Israel, but then Israel chose to withdraw from it due to a series of reasons and excuses it presented." Assad did not specify when this near-agreement occurred or the exact reasons for Israel's alleged withdrawal.

The Syrian president's remarks come amid ongoing regional tensions and underscore Damascus's official stance on the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed. The international community largely does not recognize the annexation.