Israel is open to reaching an agreement with Syria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, quoted by the "Times of Israel".
However, he stressed that his country will not compromise on its security.
"After October 7", he pointed out during a visit to Israel Defense Forces soldiers wounded last week during an operation in Syria, "we are determined to protect our communities along our borders, including on the northern border, and to prevent the entrenchment of terrorists and hostile activities against us; to protect our Druze allies; and to ensure that Israel is protected from ground and other attacks from areas close to the border".
"What we expect Syria to do is, of course, create a demilitarized buffer zone from Damascus to the [Israeli-held] buffer zone and, of course, the approaches to Mount Hermon and the summit of Hermon", Netanyahu continued.
"In a positive atmosphere and with an understanding of these principles, it is possible to reach an agreement with the Syrians as well, but we will stand by our principles in any case," he concluded.
Last week, Israeli forces announced that they had killed 13 people in an operation in southern Syria, specifying that the target was an Islamist group. Six Israeli soldiers were wounded in the exchange of fire.
Netanyahu's message came a day after US President Donald Trump warned Israel on social media not to destabilize Syria and its new leadership, shortly after holding a phone call with Netanyahu.
Trump said he was "very pleased" with Syria's current performance under the leadership of former Islamist rebel president Ahmed al-Sharaa, who made a historic visit to the White House in November.