In an interview with the American newspaper “Washington Post,” al-Shara expressed concern about the consequences of implementing a demilitarized zone south of Damascus, warning of a possible gradual Israeli occupation. He added sarcastically: “After a few years, Israel may occupy central Syria to protect southern Syria, and in this manner, it will eventually reach Munich.”
Al-Shara also revealed that US President Donald Trump supports his firm position on the need for the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Syrian territory as a prerequisite for a comprehensive security agreement. He stated: “Israel has always claimed to be concerned about Syria because it fears the threats posed by Iranian militias and Hezbollah… We are the ones who expelled those forces from Syria.”
He pointed out that any chaos that may erupt in the demilitarized zone would raise fundamental questions about who would assume responsibility for protecting and securing it, asking: “If some parties use this demilitarized zone as a base to launch attacks on Israel, who will bear the responsibility for that?”
Al-Shara reiterated his accusation that Israel’s invasion of Syria stems from “expansionist ambitions” rather than security concerns, stressing that the southern region surrounding Damascus is an integral part of Syrian territory, and that Syria has the full right to exercise its sovereignty over it.
The Syrian President affirmed that Syrian sovereignty is non-negotiable, pointing out that Israel “occupied the Golan Heights to protect itself, and now it is imposing conditions in southern Syria to protect the Golan.”
Al-Shara concluded his remarks by pointing out that there is still a long way to go for Syria to reach an agreement with Israel, saying: “To reach a final agreement, Israel must withdraw to its borders before December 8,” referring to the date of the fall of the Assad regime and the simultaneous Israeli advance in the buffer zone between the two countries and beyond.
