Syrian Golan residents urge no compromise in talks with Israel

Syrians displaced from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights have firmly rejected any concessions over the territory and reaffirmed their Arab identity, amid Israel's continued insistence that it will never relinquish the land.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Civil Gathering of the Sons of the Golan Heights unveiled a document titled The National Pact, outlining a series of demands and declaring the Golan a "purely Syrian national affair".

The gathering comprises prominent figures and community leaders originally from the Golan but forcibly displaced by Israel when it captured the territory during the 1967 war and later annexed it in 1981.

While most of the international community continues to regard the Golan Heights as occupied Syrian territory, US President Donald Trump broke with global consensus by recognising Israeli sovereignty over the area during his first term.

Inside the Golan today, between 20,000 and 30,000 mostly Druze Syrians remain, concentrated in a few towns and villages.

The Civil Gathering condemned Israel’s ongoing attacks and incursions into Syria's Quneitra governorate, which lies adjacent to the Golan.

According to the statement, Israeli forces crossed into the demilitarised zone following the collapse of the Assad regime in December.

Their comments follow recent remarks by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who said the Golan was "non-negotiable" in any future talks with Syria.

His statement came amid reports that Damascus and Tel Aviv could reach a peace agreement, possibly including normalisation, before the end of the year. Such reports have raised alarm among displaced Golan communities.

In their statement, the National Pact affirmed support for Syria's leadership under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa and strongly condemned Israeli military activity in Quneitra.

The signatories stressed the "Right of Return" and categorically rejected any agreement that would compromise this right, in a clear reference to fears that Syria could strike a deal with Israel that concedes the Golan.

They also warned against proposals to resettle displaced Golan residents in other Syrian provinces or to expand Israeli control into Quneitra.

Their demands include full parliamentary representation in Damascus proportional to their estimated population of around one million, legal recognition of their rights as displaced persons, and the enshrinement of those rights in Syria’s future constitution.

The statement concludes by urging that the National Pact be treated as a "moral and national charter for all Syrians".