Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Monday that Israel is open to establishing diplomatic relations with Syria and Lebanon but made it clear that the Golan Heights will remain under Israeli control in any future peace deal.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Jerusalem with Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Sa’ar said Israel seeks to expand the Abraham Accords and normalize ties with more neighboring countries, including Syria and Lebanon, with whom it has no formal relations since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

“We have an interest in including countries such as Syria and Lebanon in the circle of peace and normalization, while safeguarding Israel’s essential and security interests,” he said. “In any peace agreement, the Golan will remain part of the State of Israel.”

Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed the territory, a move not internationally recognized.

Following the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, Israeli troops entered the UN-monitored buffer zone in December 2024 and have since deployed forces on Mount Hermon, a strategic location overlooking both Israeli and Syrian territory. Israeli officials say the deployment is expected to continue.

A ceasefire brokered by the U.S. and France between Israel and Hezbollah has held since November 27, 2024, halting more than a year of cross-border hostilities. However, tensions remain high.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem recently accused Israel of violating the truce in southern Lebanon and warned that further provocations would be met with retaliation.

Despite these challenges, Israel’s push for broader regional diplomacy reflects its ongoing efforts to reshape alliances and reduce hostilities in the Middle East.