Syria and Israel were compelled to engage in negotiations through the United States as an intermediary to arrange the separation of warring forces in the Golan Heights after the Israeli army faced significant depletion due to the war. The United States, seeking to enhance its image before Arab and Syrian public opinion, was willing to mediate between the parties, considering the international context where the Soviet Union held significant influence.
The Syrian negotiating team, led by President Hafez al-Assad, included Abdel Halim Khaddam, the Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Adib Al-Dawoudi, Advisor at the Presidential Palace; Dr. Iskander Luke, responsible for recording the talks; translator Asaad Kamel Elias; and on the American side, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Richard Murphy, and Tom Scotts, the charge d’affaires of the American Embassy in Damascus. The Palestinian-origin translator Issa Al-Sabbagh, born in Haifa, was also present.
The first meeting between the two parties commenced at 6 p.m. and lasted for eight hours. These deliberations served as a prelude to the negotiations on the separation of forces. General Tlass, in his memoirs, admits his concerns about Henry Kissinger’s tactics, his biased approach, and his initial position as the Foreign Minister of a major power, as well as the media attention that accompanied his appointment as National Security Advisor and later as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Tlass emphasizes the role of global Zionism in these events. However, President Assad demonstrated exceptional negotiation skills and effectively cornered Kissinger, making it difficult for him to maneuver.
President Assad had instructed General Mustafa to collaborate with the General Staff in preparing three military maps, each measuring 50,000/1, presenting three options for the separation of Syrian-Israeli forces in the Golan Heights. The objective was to ensure full control over the territory, considering key points, governing bodies, and operational axes. The required maps, along with proposed solutions, were provided.
Following extensive discussions, during which President Assad displayed great acumen, a memorandum of agreement on the separation of forces was signed. The agreement stipulated the withdrawal of the Israeli enemy behind the city of Quneitra (Tell Abu Al-Nada) and the withdrawal from the Rafid triangle in the southern sector. Kissinger attempted to include a provision in the agreement that Syrian forces would prevent Palestinian guerrilla activities from the Golan Heights. President Assad firmly rejected this demand, stating, “We can never deploy our forces to safeguard Israeli security.”
