Syria has expressed readiness to cooperate with the United States to reinstate the 1974 disengagement agreement with Israel, according to a statement issued after a call between Syrian Foreign Minister Asad Al-Shibani and his American counterpart Marco Rubio.
The development comes as Washington intensifies efforts to mediate peace between Syria and Israel. Last week, US envoy Thomas Barrack stated that meaningful dialogue is underway to resolve border tensions. He confirmed to the New York Times that Syria and Israel are engaged in serious discussions under US mediation.
Tensions rose after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December, prompting Israel to deploy forces in a UN-monitored buffer zone separating Syrian and Israeli troops. Israel has also carried out numerous airstrikes inside Syria, targeting military infrastructure.
Syria and Israel have technically remained in a state of war since 1948. During the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Israel captured about two-thirds of the Golan Heights from Syria and later annexed the area in 1981—a move not recognized by most of the international community.
As part of the 1974 deal, an 80-kilometre UN buffer zone was established between Israeli-held and Syrian-held territories. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar recently stated Israel’s interest in normalizing ties with Syria and Lebanon, but emphasized that Golan Heights will remain part of Israel in any future agreement.