Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani said Israel’s continued control of Syrian territory has made any genuine peace agreement impossible, reaffirming that Damascus cannot accept negotiations while occupation persists on its land.

Speaking during a panel session at the Doha Forum in Qatar, Al-Shibani stressed that Syria remains formally committed to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which established a ceasefire line in the occupied Golan Heights following the October War and created a UN-monitored buffer zone under the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) to prevent direct military confrontation.

Al-Shibani emphasized that Syria’s stability depends on internal security anchored in broader regional stability, noting that Damascus has adopted a flexible foreign policy approach that avoids rigid geopolitical alliances. He also stated that there is growing “international will” in support of a political settlement to Syria’s protracted crisis, though he made clear that such a settlement cannot advance while Israeli forces remain inside Syrian territory.

During the same forum, U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said U.S. President Donald Trump had chosen to give transitional Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa an opportunity to lead the country toward stabilization. Barrack argued that previous Western strategies in the Middle East had proven misguided, suggesting that Washington is reassessing its approach to Syria following the political changes in Damascus.

In separate remarks, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi confirmed that Qatari governmental and humanitarian institutions have begun coordinating their work in Syria with the new authorities, while expressing deep concern over the deteriorating security situation. He said Qatar raised the issue directly with the U.S. envoy and stressed the urgency of halting Israeli military strikes inside Syrian territory.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government in late 2024, Israel has significantly expanded its military operations in Syria. According to the organization, Israeli forces have carried out more than 405 ground incursions and over 810 airstrikes targeting weapons depots, military vehicles, and armed groups, while also expanding their presence in areas designated as buffer zones under the 1974 disengagement agreement.

Analysts warn that the growing Israeli military footprint and continued air and ground operations inside Syria risk further destabilizing the region and undermining any prospects for diplomatic resolution. (ILKHA)