Syrian President Claims 90% Agreement Reached With Israel Before Talks Collapsed

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stated in an interview on the sidelines of a UN General Assembly gathering that Syria and Israel had been "90%" close to an agreement before Israel "retreated" for unspecified reasons. Assad made these remarks in response to a question from journalist Barak Ravid regarding Israeli suspicions about Syria following the October 7th Hamas attacks.

Assad acknowledged the suffering of "innocent people" on October 7th but contrasted it with the situation in Gaza, where he noted "more than 70,000 people have been killed." He strongly criticized Israel's military actions within Syria, detailing "indiscriminate arrests," and stating that the presidential palace, along with Syrian airports and military airfields, had been bombed twice by the Israeli military. He questioned whether these actions would bring security to Israelis.

Regarding the Golan Heights, Assad asserted that it is Syrian territory recognized by the UN, with a vote by over 137 countries, and therefore not subject to discussion about ownership. The interview occurred amidst ongoing tensions, including recent reports of explosions at a Syrian ammunition depot south of Aleppo, which injured four people, and the return of 14 Israeli civilians who had crossed into Syria near Alonim Bashan.

Earlier in September, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited an IDF post at Mount Hermon on the Syrian border, issuing a strong message to Iran and regional terror groups, declaring "complete control" over the area from Mount Hermon to the Yarmouk River and to the Mediterranean Sea.