“Israel does not perpetrate its aggressions due to security concerns but rather because of its expansionist ambitions,” the Syrian transitional leader told the Syrian newspaper The Washington Post, in remarks widely reported by the press here.

Regarding Israel’s continued violations of Syrian territory and sovereignty, the president explained that Damascus went to war with Israel 50 years ago, and in 1974, a disengagement agreement was signed between the two sides.

He denounced Tel Aviv for expelling the UN peacekeeping mission, occupying new territories, and launching more than a thousand airstrikes in Syria.

He stressed that such aggressions are not due to security concerns, but to expansionist ambitions.

He acknowledged that Damascus is negotiating with Israel and has made significant progress toward a security agreement.

However, to reach a final agreement, Israel must withdraw from the territories it occupied on December 8.

In response to a question about whether Syria would agree to “demilitarize the area south of Damascus,” the president stated that “this is Syrian territory, and Syria must have the freedom to administer its own territory.”

abo/arm/mem/fm