Secret Negotiations Unveiled: HTS and Israel Engage on Shebaa Farms and Golan Heights

The ongoing negotiations regarding the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights have sparked significant interest, particularly concerning the potential territorial exchange for the contested Shebaa Farms area. This critical development could reshape the geopolitical landscape in the region.

The discussions reportedly focus on the possibility of the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) relinquishing control of the Golan Heights in exchange for Israel ceding the Shebaa Farms area to Damascus. According to Israel’s Kan channel, sources have indicated that this proposed deal would necessitate approval from at least 80 members of the Knesset.

A Syrian source close to HTS has suggested that linking the Shebaa Farms issue to the Golan Heights may only be considered after a formal agreement is established. However, another source has asserted that this matter is not currently under negotiation. Here are some key points regarding the Shebaa Farms area:

• Location: The Shebaa Farms area is situated on the Lebanese border, adjacent to Israeli-occupied territory.
• Recognition: This area is widely recognized as Lebanese territory.
• Legal Implications: The transfer of Shebaa Farms to Damascus would violate international law since it does not directly border Syria.
• Political Complexity: Any such transfer would further complicate Lebanon’s already fragile political and security situation.

In response to these discussions, Hezbollah, the leading Lebanese resistance movement, has reaffirmed its right to continue resistance operations in Shebaa Farms. The group has condemned any attempts to alter the status quo and has criticized the West for supporting Israel’s recent military actions in Gaza. Hezbollah has also rejected the Lebanese government’s push for disarmament, labeling these efforts as “illegitimate” and “high treason.”

The HTS administration, which gained control of Damascus following the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad’s government in December, has historical ties to Al-Qaeda and Daesh. Despite its notorious record of violence, HTS has recently garnered interest from Western powers. During a regional visit, former US President Donald Trump announced plans to lift sanctions on the HTS administration in exchange for normalization with Israel.

Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of HTS, has made a bold commitment to recognize Israel and establish diplomatic ties by the end of 2026. This shift represents a significant transformation for a group traditionally labeled as a terrorist organization.

However, momentum for this normalization process has stalled following accusations that HTS forces massacred hundreds of Druze civilians in Sweida province. Israel cited this tragic event as justification for opening a humanitarian corridor to the region. Critics argue that the United States and Israel are taking advantage of HTS’s control in Syria to create instability and further their strategic objectives in the Middle East.

In a controversial diplomatic breakthrough, the de facto HTS foreign minister recently held US-brokered discussions with an Israeli delegation in Paris. Such interactions have raised eyebrows and amplified discussions about the implications of HTS’s governance. Human rights organizations report nearly 10,000 violent deaths since HTS rose to power, with targeted attacks on minorities, including Alawites, Druze, and Christians, highlighting the group’s brutal governance.

Simultaneously, Israel has expanded its military operations in southwest Syria, conducting hundreds of airstrikes aimed at undermining the capabilities of the Damascus regime under HTS control. The proposed exchange of Shebaa Farms for the Golan Heights is yet another significant development in Israel’s ongoing colonial expansion.

By attempting to legitimize its occupation of the Golan Heights through covert agreements with Syria’s extremist HTS rulers, Israel risks further entrenching its illegal territorial gains while exacerbating divisions within the Arab world. This proposed territorial exchange not only undermines Lebanese sovereignty over Shebaa Farms but also sets a perilous precedent that rewards occupation and demographic alterations.

As these negotiations unfold, the international community watches closely, aware that the outcomes could have profound implications for the stability of the region and the rights of its people.

RHM/Press TV