Syria Seeks One-Third of Golan Heights in Peace Proposal

Syria has proposed a peace deal that would require Israel to cede at least one-third of the Golan Heights captured before the 1974 armistice, according to a source close to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The source said Damascus is discussing two options. Under the first, Israel would transfer a third of the plateau to Syria, retain another third, and lease the remaining third from Syria for 25 years. A second option would let Israel keep two-thirds of the territory and hand over the rest, potentially with lease arrangements. The source added that returning some of the Golan is critical for Syrian domestic support and should not be tied to any separate U.S. sanctions relief.