Syria’s president said that if security arrangements with Israel come to fruition, the two countries can move toward durable peace.

Ahmad al-Shar‘a on Tuesday said, during a meeting at the Atlantic Council in New York, that Israel must first withdraw from areas in southern Syria that it has occupied after the fall of the government of Bashar al-Assad. He added that the two countries have had direct dialogue over the past year.

Al-Shar‘a said: “Then we will move on to discussions about security arrangements. If these arrangements succeed, we can enter into durable peace. The Golan Heights are Syrian land, and the United Nations recognizes this. So there is no debate.”

The Syrian president also said that Hamas’s October 7 attack should not determine Israel’s policy toward Syria. He said: “I understand what happened to some innocent people on October 7, but it is not possible for all policies to be based on an event that took place. At the same time, we must understand what happened in Gaza, where more than 70,000 people were killed.”

Al-Shar‘a added: “Israel must change its policy because it creates problems for its surroundings. I believe the problem is with Israel, not with Syria.”