Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa made an unusual joke to US President Donald Trump during a conversation about the status of the Golan Heights, but at the same time made a serious request for the future of relations between Syria and Israel.
During a forum in New York, Al-Sharaa recounted a conversation with Trump at the White House, when the two discussed the US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
According to him, he asked Trump why the United States did not give Israel New Jersey, since, in his opinion, Washington has no right to give Syrian territory to another country.
Al-Sharaa supplemented the joke with the argument that many Democrats live in New Jersey and they do not support Trump.
Then However, the Syrian president moved on to the serious part of his position. He stated that the Golan Heights are Syrian territory and that neither the Syrian nor the American president can give them to another country.
Damascus and Israel were close to an agreement
Al-Sharaa also revealed that over the past year, Syria and Israel have been holding direct talks with American mediation.
According to him, the two sides have held several rounds of talks and at one point were close to reaching about 90% of the agreements on the security framework.
According to the Syrian president, Israel subsequently withdrew from part of the agreement or set new conditions.
Al-Sharaa stressed that the diplomatic channel remains open. Syria prefers talks and negotiations to confrontation, and a possible security agreement could be followed by broader talks on a lasting peace.
The Syrian side insists that Israel withdraw from the areas in southern Syria that its forces entered after the fall of the Bashar Assad regime in December 2024.
Ash-Sharaa: Israel must change its policy
The Syrian president also directly criticized Israel's security policy.
According to him, Israel's actions in the region create additional tension instead of reducing threats. Ash-Sharaa said that the security of a country cannot be guaranteed at the expense of the security of its neighbors.
He cited Israeli airstrikes and military operations in Syria as an example of a policy that, in his opinion, deepens instability.
At the same time, Ash-Sharaa said that he understands the concerns of Israeli society after the attacks of October 7, 2023, but according to him, these events should not determine the overall Israel's policy towards Syria.
The Syrian president insists that sustainable security in the region requires mutual guarantees and respect for the interests of neighboring countries.
The Golan Heights remain a major sticking point
The status of the Golan Heights is one of the most serious obstacles to normalizing relations between Syria and Israel.
Israel captured most of the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 war, and in 1981 passed a law extending Israeli law to the territory. The international community, with the exception of the United States during the first Trump administration, does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan.
Ash-Sharaa said that for Damascus, the issue of the Golan Heights' ownership is non-negotiable. He said future talks should focus on security, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Syrian territory and the gradual building of trust.
The United States maintains its role as a mediator
Ash-Sharaa's statements show that despite serious disagreements between Syria and Israel, the diplomatic channel remains active.
Damascus insists on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of southern Syria and maintains its claims to the Golan Heights. Israel, for its part, places its security as a key factor in relations with the new Syrian authorities.
The United States seeks to maintain its role as a mediator between the two countries. Ash-Sharaa emphasized its close relationship with Trump and positively assessed American support for Syria.
There is no final agreement between Syria and Israel yet. But Ash-Sharaa's claim that the talks have reached close to 90% agreement on the security framework shows that, in parallel with the public tension, diplomatic efforts to find a common ground continue basis.
Sources: Reuters, Atlantic Council