Israel is engaged in a delicate diplomatic balancing act, seeking to expand its regional ties with Syria and Lebanon amidst significant geopolitical shifts in the Middle East. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced Israel’s interest on Monday, citing Iran’s perceived weakening and the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad as key opportunities, but maintaining a firm stance on the non-negotiable Golan Heights.
This strategic move follows a turbulent period, marked by nearly two years of war in Gaza and Israeli military operations in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah. Israeli leaders believe these regional changes create a window for forging new diplomatic relationships and broadening the “circle of peace.”
However, Saar’s declaration regarding the Golan Heights, annexed by Israel in 1981 after its 1967 capture from Syria, immediately creates a fundamental disagreement. The international community largely views the Golan as occupied Syrian land, a position reinforced by Syria’s unwavering demand for its return, despite President Donald Trump’s recognition of Israeli sovereignty.
A major impediment, however, is the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative. A senior Syrian official reiterated that any normalization must be rooted in this initiative, which calls for Israeli withdrawal from all occupied territories and the creation of an independent Palestinian state. Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, dismissed the Palestinian statehood precondition as “not constructive” and a security threat, highlighting a fundamental disagreement that could derail any diplomatic breakthrough and showcasing the ongoing diplomatic balancing act.