Syrian President Claims 90% Agreement With Israel Before Withdrawal

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stated in an interview on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly that Syria and Israel had reached a 90% agreement on unspecified issues, but Israel subsequently withdrew from the understanding. Assad asserted that the Golan Heights remain Syrian territory, recognized as such by the United Nations.

Assad's remarks were made during a broader critique of Israel, though the specific context or timeframe of the alleged near-agreement was not detailed in the report. The Syrian leader reiterated his country's claim to the Golan Heights, a territory captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and subsequently annexed, a move not recognized by most of the international community.