The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported today, Friday, that there is concern in Israel that US President Donald Trump may pressure Tel Aviv to relinquish Mount Hermon, which it occupied after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The newspaper linked this concern with the possibility of the Israeli army launching a “wide-scale operation” against the Lebanese “Hezbollah,” adding that Israeli bulldozers and engineering equipment are currently ascending the paved road to 2,800 meters on the snow-covered summit of Mount Hermon, a road that was under the control of Assad’s soldiers until a year ago.
The newspaper explained that Israeli bulldozers are advancing towards the summit of Mount Hermon within Syrian territory, where restoration and fortification works are underway at two sites in preparation for the coming winter, noting that “Israeli leaders are not treating this winter as the last for the army on Mount Hermon.” It pointed out that the quiet communications that took place between those close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and emissaries from the Syrian government have not made progress so far.
These communications aimed to reach or formulate a new ceasefire agreement to replace the arrangements that had been in place since 1974 until the fall of the Assad regime last year. In a related context, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that his judgment on the transitional Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa depends on field developments. Netanyahu questioned: “Will Syria become a peaceful state? Will he eliminate the jihadists in his army? Will he cooperate with me to establish a demilitarized zone in southwest Syria on the border of the Heights?” according to the Times of Israel.
He added, “The Syrian Druze have been tortured and slaughtered, almost as badly as what happened on October 7, 2023,” as he claimed, adding, “If the weapons are removed from southwest Syria and permanent protection is provided for the Druze there, we can move forward.” The transitional Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa confirmed that “the Israeli incursion into Syria does not stem from its security concerns but from its expansionist ambitions,” noting that Damascus is engaged in direct negotiations with Tel Aviv, but the latter must withdraw to the borders of December 8 to make progress in this file.
He said, “Israel occupied the Golan under the pretext of protecting itself, and today it imposes conditions in southern Syria under the pretext of protecting the Golan. After years, it may occupy central Syria under the pretext of protecting the south, and with this logic, it may eventually reach Munich.” On September 29, Syrian Minister of Information Hamza Mustafa confirmed that “the security agreement between Syria and Israel is completely different from normalizing relations between the two countries,” pointing out that Israel “considered the disengagement agreement signed in 1974 null and void.” He said that Damascus conducted three rounds of negotiations with the Israelis, adding, “But the Israeli strikes on Syria complicated matters.” Earlier, Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Shaibani confirmed that the Israeli raids on Syrian areas made it difficult.
