Omar Bennett
Syria has had several constitutions, with the first being the Syrian Constitution of 1930. The most recent constitution was ratified on 13 March 2025, after the fall of the Assad regime. Syria has never recognized Israel as a legitimate state and does not accept Israeli passports as legally valid for entry into Syrian territory. Israel regards Syria as a hostile state and prohibits its citizens from travelling there. There have been virtually no economic or cultural ties between the two countries, and a limited movement of people across the border. Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has expressed interest in normalizing relations with Israel, but it is unclear if any progress has been made.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Current constitution | An interim constitution was adopted on 13 March 2025, replacing the 2012 constitution after the fall of the Assad regime. |
| Previous constitutions | The Syrian Constitution of 1930; the Constitution of 5 September 1950; the Provisional Constitution of the United Arab Republic; a provisional constitution in 1964; another provisional charter in 1969; a new constitution following the 1973 coup. |
| Presidential system | The constitution sets a presidential system, with executive power at the hands of the president who appoints the ministers. |
| Judiciary | Article 43 of the Interim Constitution states that the judiciary is independent, and judges are subject only to the law. |
| Islamic law | The constitution enshrines Islamic law as the main source of jurisprudence. |
| Freedom of opinion and expression | The constitution preserves freedom of opinion and expression. |
| Relationship with Israel | Syria has never recognized Israel as a legitimate state and does not accept Israeli passports as legally valid for entry into Syrian territory. |
| Normalizing relations with Israel | Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa is open to normalizing relations with Israel. |
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What You'll Learn
Syria's non-recognition of Israel as a legitimate state
Syria has never recognized Israel as a legitimate state. Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Syria has been an active belligerent, with periodic ceasefires and the use of proxies. The two countries have been locked in a perpetual war and have had no formal diplomatic relations since their inception in the mid-20th century.
The Syrian army captured territory from the newly established State of Israel in 1948, north and south of the Sea of Galilee. Most of this territory was returned to Israel after the signing of the July 1949 Armistice Agreement, and the areas were declared Demilitarized Zones. However, disputes over the exact location of the border, ownership of portions of territory, and the right of Israeli farmers to farm the land in the Demilitarized Zones on the Israeli side of the border sparked intermittent fighting between Syria and Israel until the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
Syria and Israel have had virtually no economic or cultural ties, and there has been a limited movement of people across the border. Syria does not accept Israeli passports as legally valid for entry into Syrian territory. Israel regards Syria as a hostile state and generally prohibits its citizens from travelling there. Both countries do allow a limited trade of items, such as locally grown apples for the Golan Druze villages, which are located on both sides of the UNDOF ceasefire line. Syria also provides 10% of the water supply for the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights as part of an agreement that has been ongoing since the 1980s.
Syria was one of the six members of the Arab League that voted against Israel's application to the United Nations (UN) in 1948. As of 2020, Syria is one of 28 UN member states that do not recognize Israel.
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Israel's view of Syria as a hostile state
Israel and Syria have had a tumultuous relationship since the inception of both countries in the mid-20th century. The two countries have never established formal diplomatic relations and have been locked in a perpetual state of war since the establishment of Israel in 1948. Israel regards Syria as a hostile state and generally prohibits its citizens from travelling there. This view is rooted in several factors, including territorial disputes, ideological differences, and Syria's refusal to recognize Israel as a legitimate state.
Syria has never recognized Israel as a legitimate state and does not accept Israeli passports as legally valid for entry into Syrian territory. This lack of recognition stems from Syria's opposition to the creation of a Jewish state on Arab lands, which has been a core issue dividing the two countries since 1948. Syria's Arab nationalist ideology, which was particularly prominent following the 1963 coup d'état by the Ba'ath Party, was fiercely anti-Israel and perceived Israel as a representation of imperialism, hindering the unification of all Arab nations.
In addition to ideological differences, territorial disputes have been a significant source of hostility between the two countries. The exact location of the border between Israel and Syria, ownership of portions of territory, and the right of Israeli farmers to farm land in the Demilitarized Zones on the Israeli side of the border have been ongoing points of contention. The 1949 Armistice Agreements and the subsequent establishment of Demilitarized Zones failed to resolve these disputes, and intermittent fighting between the two countries continued until the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
The Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights, captured from Syria during the 1967 war, has been a critical issue separating the two countries. Syria demands the return of the Golan Heights, while Israel has refused to hand back this territory, intensifying Syrian enmity. The Golan Heights served as a buffer zone during periods of violent escalations between the two countries.
The lack of diplomatic relations and continuous state of war have resulted in virtually no economic or cultural ties between Israel and Syria, as well as limited movement of people across the border. However, both countries do allow limited trade of certain items, such as locally grown apples, and there have been special accommodations made for Druze people residing in Syria and the Golan Heights.
Overall, Israel's perspective on Syria as a hostile state is shaped by a complex interplay of historical, ideological, territorial, and diplomatic factors, contributing to a perpetual state of tension and conflict between the two nations.
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The Syrian Civil War's impact on Israel-Syria relations
Israel and Syria have technically been in a state of war since 1948, when both countries came into being. They have fought each other in three major wars: the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the 1967 Six-Day War, and the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Since 1974, there has been a ceasefire arrangement between the two countries, which has largely been adhered to. However, the exact location of the border between the two states, ownership of portions of territory, and the right of Israeli farmers to farm land in the Demilitarized Zones on the Israeli side of the border have remained in dispute.
The Syrian Civil War, which began in 2011, has further strained the state of peace at the Israel-Syria ceasefire line. Several incidents have taken place on the Israeli-Syrian border, including the Quneitra Governorate clashes, incidents between the Syrian Army and Syrian rebels on the Syrian-controlled side of the Golan and the Golan Neutral Zone, and Hezbollah involvement in the Syrian Civil War. Israel's official position in the Syrian Civil War has been strict neutrality. However, due to the Iranian intervention in the conflict, which began in 2013, it has become involved both politically and militarily in attempts to prevent the growing influence and entrenchment of Iranian troops and proxies throughout Syria. Dubbed Operation Chess, Israeli military activity in Syria has primarily consisted of aerial and missile strikes targeting facilities used by Iran and its proxy forces, especially Hezbollah. Before 2017, Israel did not officially acknowledge any of its operations within Syria.
Israel has also provided humanitarian aid to victims of the Syrian Civil War. Between 2013 and September 2018, over 200,000 Syrians received such aid, and more than 4,000 of them were treated in Israeli hospitals. Many of the treated victims were civilians, often children. Allegations have been made that some were rebel fighters from the Free Syrian Army. This theory is supported by the claim that Israel had a strategic interest in aiding the rebels, who fought against both ISIL and Iranian-allied forces.
The survival of the Assad regime is considered an Israeli strategic failure. Assad's survival turns Iran into Israel's neighbour, allowing for land corridors through Iraq and an air bridge for equipping Hezbollah's heavy missiles with precision guidance kits. It also enables Iranian-sponsored Shi'ite militias to mount large-scale campaigns to smuggle weapons and drugs into Jordan, intended to supply Palestinian groups in the West Bank.
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Border disputes and intermittent fighting
Syria has never recognized Israel as a legitimate state and does not accept Israeli passports as legally valid for entry into Syrian territory. Israel, in turn, regards Syria as a hostile state and generally prohibits its citizens from travelling there. Both countries have never established formal diplomatic relations since their inception in the mid-20th century. As a result, there have been virtually no economic or cultural ties between Israel and Syria, and a limited movement of people across the border.
The two countries have been in a continuous state of war since May 1948, when the Syrian army captured territory from the newly established State of Israel north and south of the Sea of Galilee. Most of this territory was returned to Israel after the signing of the July 1949 Armistice Agreement and declared Demilitarized Zones. However, the exact location of the border between the two states, ownership of portions of territory, and the right of Israeli farmers to farm the land in the Demilitarized Zones on the Israeli side of the border remained in dispute. These disputes sparked intermittent fighting between Syria and Israel until the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
In addition to the territorial dispute, small-scale fighting was also sparked by a dispute over Israel's right to pump water from the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee (a freshwater lake) for use in agricultural irrigation and drinking. From 1964 to 1966, the Syrians attempted to dig a canal that would divert the sources of the Jordan River before they entered Israeli territory, thus drying up that portion of the river and dramatically reducing the water intake of the Sea of Galilee to prevent Israel from using that water. This led to a period of escalated fighting as the Israelis sought to prevent this diversion project, which threatened to severely damage their ability to provide fresh water to their population and agriculture.
The Syrian Civil War, which began in 2011 and is ongoing as of 2024, has further strained the state of peace at the Israel-Syria ceasefire line (which has served as the international border since the 1967 War). The exact location of the border between Israel and Syria remains disputed, with the majority of border disputes rooted in territorial changes that came about as a result of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, during which Israel occupied large swathes of territory from its rivals.
Despite the ongoing tensions and intermittent fighting, there have been attempts at peace negotiations between Israel and Syria. During the 1990s, several Israeli governments negotiated with Syria's President Hafez al-Assad, making serious progress but ultimately falling short of a successful resolution. The peace negotiations collapsed following the outbreak of the second Palestinian (Intifada) uprising in September 2000.
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Syrian President Al-Sharaa's willingness to normalise relations with Israel
Syria and Israel have never established formal diplomatic relations since the inception of both countries in the mid-20th century. There have been virtually no economic or cultural ties between the two countries, and a limited movement of people across the borders. Syria has never recognized Israel as a legitimate state and does not accept Israeli passports as legally valid for entry into Syrian territory. Israel, likewise, regards Syria as a hostile state and generally prohibits its citizens from travelling there.
Despite this, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has expressed a willingness to normalise relations with Israel. Al-Sharaa, who is facing criticism for his moderation process, told US Congressman Cory Mills that he is "interested" in joining the Abraham Accords, the normalization framework under which Israel established ties with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco, and Sudan. Al-Sharaa's comments signal a potential shift in Syria's stance towards Israel, as he seeks to obtain sanctions relief and address the Israeli occupation of southwestern Syria.
Mills, a close ally of former US President Donald Trump, travelled to Syria on a privately organized visit and met with al-Sharaa for approximately 90 minutes. Their discussions centered on the terms under which Damascus would normalize relations with Israel and the conditions for the US to lift economic sanctions imposed during the Bashar al-Assad era. Al-Sharaa's government faces a deep humanitarian and economic crisis, with an estimated $400 billion in reconstruction needs. While several Gulf monarchies have signaled a willingness to fund Syria's rebuilding, they are constrained by US restrictions.
One key US stipulation for sanctions relief is the complete destruction of all chemical weapons stockpiles from the Assad era and coordination on counterterrorism initiatives. Al-Sharaa must also address the presence of foreign fighters in Syria and provide security guarantees to Israel, particularly given his background as a former al-Qaeda operative.
Syria's potential normalization of relations with Israel would be a significant development in the region, as it could lead to increased economic and cultural ties between the two countries and potentially reduce tensions along their shared border. However, it remains to be seen whether al-Sharaa's efforts will succeed in obtaining sanctions relief and addressing the concerns of both the US and Israel.
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Frequently asked questions
Syria has had various constitutions, the most recent of which was ratified in March 2025. Given that Syria has never recognized Israel as a legitimate state, it is unlikely that the Syrian Constitution refers to Israel.
The current Syrian Constitution is an interim constitution that was ratified on 13 March 2025, replacing the 2012 constitution after the fall of the Assad regime.
The Syrian Constitution of 2012 was drafted by the Syrian government following the 2011 Syrian revolution and put to a referendum on 26 February 2012. The referendum was boycotted by Syrian opposition and revolutionary parties, resulting in very low participation.
The Syrian Constitution of 1930 was the first Syrian Constitution and the founding constitution of the First Syrian Republic. It required the President to be of Muslim faith.
