MIDDLE EAST
2 min read
Israel must return to pre-December 8 borders for final peace deal: Syrian president
President Ahmed Al Sharaa says Washington and several international partners support Syria’s position, with Trump pledging to push swiftly for a resolution.
Israel must return to pre-December 8 borders for final peace deal: Syrian president
Al Sharaa's remarks came after his historic meeting on Monday with Trump at the White House. / AA
November 12, 2025

Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa has said that a final peace deal between Syria and Israel requires Israel’s withdrawal to its pre-December 8 borders, emphasising that the US and several international partners back Syria’s position.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Sharaa said on Tuesday that Damascus and Tel Aviv are engaged in “direct negotiations” and have “gone a good distance” towards reaching an agreement.

“But to reach a final agreement, Israel should withdraw to their pre-December 8 borders,” he said.

Sharaa said Washington and several international actors support Syria’s perspective in this regard, adding that US President Donald Trump “supports our perspective as well, and he will push as quickly as possible in order to reach a solution.”

The Syrian leader criticised Israel’s expansionist ambitions, saying it had carried out over 1,000 air strikes on Syrian territory since December 8, when Bashar al Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia, ending the Baath Party’s rule.

“Because we want to rebuild Syria, we didn’t respond to these aggressions,” he noted.

Sharaa's remarks came after his historic meeting on Monday with Trump at the White House, the first visit by a Syrian leader since the country's independence nearly 80 years ago.

The visit marked a major shift in relations as Damascus seeks the full lifting of Caesar sanctions on Syria, which were imposed in 2019 in response to the Assad regime's atrocities.

SOURCE:AA