Netanyahu Golan tour 'triggered by Trump's warm welcome of Syria's Sharaa'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's sudden tour of occupied southern Syria on Wednesday was directly triggered by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa's visit to Washington and his meeting with US President Donald Trump, local media reported.

According to several Israeli outlets, political and security officials in Tel Aviv believe al-Sharaa returned from Washington "more confident", and that Trump's overtly friendly gestures towards him unsettled Netanyahu.

Israeli sources told local media that Trump spraying his branded perfume on al-Sharaa and his foreign minister during the White House meeting was seen as a symbolic gesture that had "provoked" Netanyahu's team and pushed them to organise a high-level tour of the occupied southern Syria.

During Thursday's meeting of Israel's security cabinet, Netanyahu reportedly launched a fierce verbal attack against al-Sharaa. According to Israel's radio broadcaster Kan Reshet Bet, Netanyahu told ministers: "The Golan guy came back from Washington puffed up, and he has started doing things we will not accept."

He claimed al-Sharaa had wanted to bring Russian forces to the border, while Defence Minister Israel Katz commented sarcastically: "He came back perfumed."

The Ynet news site reported late on Thursday that Netanyahu's tour, accompanied by senior ministers and security chiefs, was a direct response to what Israeli officials viewed as Trump's enthusiastic embrace of the Syrian leader.

The outlet said alarm bells went off at Israel’s defence headquarters in Tel Aviv and in the prime minister’s office when Trump “sprayed perfume from his own brand on Syria’s new, handsome ruler and his foreign minister”.

Israeli officials reportedly feared these overtures could evolve into explicit US support for al-Sharaa's demands from Israel.

Analyst Ron Ben-Yishai of Yedioth Ahronoth wrote that Israeli officials had felt compelled to send a message to all actors in the Syrian arena, including Washington, following the Trump–al-Sharaa meeting.

But he also noted that Netanyahu was avoiding any public confrontation with Trump, who now manages US policy across Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

Instead of issuing direct threats, Israeli leaders opted for an indirect signal through a high-visibility visit to the buffer zone and Mount Hermon.

Ben-Yishai said the message was aimed at both al-Sharaa and Trump, stressing that Israel saw its current presence in the occupied Golan Heights as the minimum required to protect its settlements there unless Syria agrees to demilitarise its south and accept Israeli control over Mount Hermon.

He added that the signal was also directed at Turkey and Russia, both seeking renewed influence in Syria, to remind them that Israel had its own interests there.

Israeli media described the visit as a planned political and military gesture.

The unusually large delegation accompanying Netanyahu included Defence Minister Israel Katz, army chief Herzi Halevi's successor Eyal Zamir, Shin Bet director David Zini and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar.

Their presence was intended, according to reports, to underline the political message behind the trip, in addition to the military signalling. Photos released by Netanyahu’s office showed him wearing a helmet, protective vest and binoculars during the tour.

According to Ynet, Israel is pressing a new set of demands on Syria, presented as security requirements.

These include establishing a demilitarised zone stretching from Damascus south to the Jordanian border and extending about 30 kilometres east into the Hauran region.

Israel insists this area must remain free of heavy weapons, dense armed deployments, Syrian regime units, local armed groups and Iranian-backed Syrian and Iraqi fighters.

It is also demanding to maintain a permanent presence on Mount Hermon, whose Syrian positions Israel captured last December, and is pushing for approval of a land corridor from the occupied Golan to Druze villages around Sweida to allow Israel to connect with the Syrian Druze community.