Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said he would not rule out normalizing ties with Syria, but stressed that any such agreement must guarantee continued Israeli control over the Golan Heights.
Speaking to Israel’s i24NEWS, Sa’ar said: “If there’s an opportunity for a peace agreement or normalization with Syria - provided the Golan remains in our hands- it would be a positive step for Israel’s future.”
His remarks came amid growing speculation that a normalization deal between Israel and Syria could be reached by the end of the year.
The Israeli channel quoted a “well-informed Syrian source” as saying the two countries are expected to sign a peace agreement before the end of 2025.
According to the source, the deal would include a gradual Israeli withdrawal from all Syrian territory it seized following the incursion into the buffer zone on December 8, 2024 — including the summit of Mount Hermon.
The same source said the historic agreement would fully normalize relations between the two countries and transform the Golan Heights into a “peace park.”
Neither Israeli nor Syrian officials have confirmed the report. However, other Israeli media said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned visit to the United States next month is expected to focus on a framework for normalization with Syria, potentially under an expanded version of the US-brokered Abraham Accords.
Channel 12 reported cautious optimism in Washington about a broader normalization deal tied to ending the war in Gaza and widening the Abraham Accords.
Israeli officials believe a key to expanding regional normalization lies in securing a firm commitment from US President Donald Trump to bring the Gaza conflict to an end.
According to the network, a limited expansion of the Abraham Accords that includes Syria may be feasible in the near term, but Netanyahu is reportedly aiming for a more comprehensive regional deal.
Channel 12 quoted Netanyahu as saying: “Victory in Iran opens the door to expanding peace agreements, releasing the hostages, and defeating Hamas. We are working seriously toward this. Alongside the release of our hostages and the defeat of Hamas, there is a golden opportunity we must not miss — the expansion of peace. Not a single day should be wasted.”
Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is expected to arrive in Washington on Monday ahead of Netanyahu to discuss Iran, the Gaza war, and to coordinate the Israeli premier’s visit.
A US official said Netanyahu’s trip is likely to take place in the second half of July. Optimism in Israel is reportedly based on a Trump plan to end the Gaza war and usher in a new phase of regional diplomacy under an expanded Abraham Accords framework.
Israeli sources also told Israel Hayom that Trump and Netanyahu have agreed to end the Gaza war within two weeks and then move forward with signing new peace deals with Arab states.
