Damascus does not anticipate joining the Abraham Accords in the near future, according to Syria’s information minister in an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya English on Friday, a position anchored in Israel’s continued occupation of Syrian territory, including the Golan Heights. The minister said Syria’s leadership views the accords as frameworks applicable to states whose land is not under Israeli control and reiterated that the timing remains premature for discussions on normalization. He referenced prior remarks by President Ahmed al-Sharaa indicating that conditions are not conducive to negotiations, emphasizing that neither the short nor the medium term presents a viable pathway for accession. The comments underscore Syria’s consistent linkage between territorial sovereignty and diplomatic engagement, framing the Abraham Accords debate as inseparable from the status of occupied land and signaling continuity in Damascus’s public posture even as the regional diplomatic landscape evolves.
Syria–Israel relations: history, security dynamics, and cautious de-escalation
Syria and Israel have never established formal diplomatic relations since independence and remain technically at war, with tensions rooted in successive conflicts and enduring territorial disputes. Israel captured the Golan Heights during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed the strategic plateau, a move not recognized internationally. A U.S.-brokered 1974 Disengagement Agreement created a UN-monitored buffer zone that helped sustain a fragile calm for decades despite persistent hostility. Relations deteriorated further under the former Assad regime due to Syria’s alliances with Iran and Hezbollah, prompting extensive Israeli air operations aimed at disrupting weapons transfers. Following the Assad regime’s collapse in December 2024, Israel declared the 1974 arrangement void, advanced into parts of the demilitarized zone, and intensified strikes to prevent arms proliferation. As of early 2026, U.S.-mediated talks in Paris produced an agreement to establish a joint fusion mechanism focused on intelligence sharing, military de-escalation, diplomatic engagement, and potential commercial channels under U.S. supervision, even as Israel maintains security operations and Syria calls for a withdrawal timeline.
The Abraham Accords are U.S.-brokered normalization agreements launched in 2020 to establish diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab and Muslim-majority states, emphasizing cooperation across economic, security, and cultural domains. Initial signatories included the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in September 2020, followed by Sudan and Morocco later that year, with Kazakhstan formally joining in November 2025. The accords have facilitated embassy openings, trade, tourism, technology partnerships, and security cooperation, while also drawing criticism for not addressing Palestinian statehood or settlement issues. Endorsed by successive U.S. administrations, the accords continue to shape regional diplomacy, even as expansion has faced headwinds amid ongoing conflicts and shifting security priorities.