Trump proposes ‘ski resort for Israeli-occupied Syria’ to bring peace
Donald Trump is proposing to build a ski resort in Israeli-occupied Syria as part of a plan to bring ‘enduring peace to the Middle East’, it has been reported.
Further details are emerging about the negotiations between delegations from the US, Syria and Israel that took place in Paris earlier this week.
The White House is understood to be pushing the idea of an ‘economic zone’ – one that would include wind farms, agriculture and a resort.
This would take place in a formerly demilitarised zone and would involve the withdrawal of Israeli soldiers.
Sources cited by Israeli media and a separate report by Axios confirmed that it would be under American sponsorship.
Mount Hermon is one of the rumoured locations for the resort.
Located on the Syria-Lebanon border, it holds a huge strategic importance in the region.
Its southern slopes extend into Syria’s Golan Heights, which Israel has been occupying since 1967.
Its summit lies in Syria, in a buffer zone that separated Israeli and Syrian forces for 50 years until the all of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
Israeli forces wasted no time to take over Syrian army positions, with the Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar described the move as ‘a limited and temporary step we took for security reasons’.
Following the negotiations, the US state department said Syria and Israel have agreed to establish a US-supervised joint ‘fusion’ cell to coordinate intelligence sharing, military de-escalation, diplomatic engagement and commercial ventures.
‘This mechanism will serve as a platform to address any disputes promptly and work to prevent misunderstandings,’ a joint statement said.
‘The US commends these positive steps and remains committed to supporting the implementation of these understandings, as part of broader efforts to achieve enduring peace in the Middle East.’
Syria is seeking an Israeli withdrawal to positions held before Assad was toppled, and wants a reciprocal security framework guaranteeing its sovereignty and preventing interference in its internal affairs.
There was no immediate comment from Israel on whether it had agreed to suspend military activities in Syria.
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel had focused on the security issues as well as economic cooperation during the talks.
Syrian state media reported that the discussions were focused on reviving a 1974 disengagement agreement that established a UN-monitored buffer zone between Israel and Syria after the 1973 Middle East war.
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