Haaretz: Normalizing Syria and Israel isn’t as easy as Trump thinks!
The Israeli Haaretz newspaper believes that reaching a normalization agreement between Syria and Israel isn’t as easy as US President Donald Trump expects, as he is working intensively to achieve this goal before the end of 2025.
Haaretz said in a report published on July 1, 2025, that the political and security challenges between the two sides make reaching an understanding extremely complicated, in light of escalating regional tensions and the lack of mutual trust.
According to the Israeli newspaper, the new Syrian leader, Ahmed al Sharaa, faces a popular base that remains wary of Israel, while the Israeli government has adopted a more hardline stance since the October 7 attacks, further complicating negotiations.
Despite the Trump administration’s intensive diplomatic efforts, the newspaper believes that the path to normalization with Syria remains thorny, especially in light of political and military factors that cannot be easily overcome.
Haaretz reported that Washington is intensifying its mediation efforts between Damascus and Tel Aviv, seeking to present the normalization file as a political victory that would strengthen Trump’s position.
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed to CNBC that the administration hopes to achieve normalization between Israel and countries that no one imagined would join, adding that this step would be a major factor in stability in the Middle East.
In turn, Trump’s envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, said in an interview with Turkish official Anadolu Agency that there is a mutual desire between Damascus and Tel Aviv to calm the situation on the border, revealing the start of a secret dialogue on border issues that are expected to pave the way for broader talks in the future.
In this regard, according to the Israeli newspaper, there are three major obstacles hindering the agreement:
- The occupied Golan Heights: The Golan Heights are one of the most prominent points of contention between the two countries, especially after Trump recognized Israel’s sovereignty over them during his first term, a decision Damascus categorically rejects.
- Israeli military incursions: Israeli incursions into southwestern Syria increased after the fall Assad’s regime in late 2024, as it appears that the two sides haven’t reached a common vision for the future of these areas, which constitutes a stumbling block to any lasting peace agreement.
- Israel’s national security priority: Following its war with Iran, Israel affirmed that it would prioritize its security interests over any diplomatic initiatives, which could hinder Trump’s attempts to impose a non-aggression agreement between Israel and Syria.
The Israeli newspaper noted that Trump’s pursuit of a major diplomatic achievement may be driven by his desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize, but it could be hampered by Israel’s refusal to accept any commitments that would restrict its military presence in Syria or weaken its regional position.
Although negotiations are proceeding quietly, Haaretz warned that Israel’s excessive influence in Syria could provoke a negative reaction from Ahmed al Sharaa, who needs to convince a popular base still angry about Tel Aviv’s interventions.
Developments in Gaza, the conflict with Iran, and internal unrest in Syria are complicating the negotiations, at a time when pressure on Ahmed al Sharaa is mounting internally and Israeli incursions into border areas continue.
At the same time, Haaretz noted that Trump’s stances toward Israel have been fluid, ranging from providing extensive military support to harsh criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government over corruption allegations, further increasing uncertainty about the future of the relationship between Washington and Tel Aviv.
