Skip linksSkip to Content.css-v2kfba{height:100%;width:100%;}play Live Sign upShow navigation menu.css-15ru6p1{font-size:inherit;font-weight:normal;}Navigation menuShow more news sectionsMoreShow more sectionsplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftWhat we know about the violence in SyriaHow Israel is building bases in buffer zoneSyria's mass gravesThe Nazi who trained Syrian securityWhy was the Baath party dissolved?caret-rightEXPLAINER|Will Syria normalise relations with Israel?Normalisation might be a step too far, but a return to a peace deal may be in sight.A composite of Israeli PM Netanyahu, left, and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, right [AFP]Published On 1 Jul 20251 Jul 2025After nearly 14 years of war in Syria, the new government is resetting its regional relations, and a lot of focus is on what will happen with Israel., The longtime enemies have opened contacts, reflecting a power shift across a Middle East in which they have newfound common ground: antipathy for Iran., For half a century, the border between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights was a model of hostile stability. The guns were silent, but deep-seated antagonism prevailed, punctuated by repeated, failed attempts at diplomacy. Now, following the sudden collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024 and a 12-day war between Israel and Iran that has solidified Israel's military dominance .