The US envoy to the Middle East negotiated a secret peace deal between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Syrian President Bashar Assad, according to documents seen by Yedioth Ahronoth.

The documents were written by current US envoy to the Middle East Frederick Hoff, who allegedly arranged the covert discussions in 2010. They report that Mr Netanyahu agreed to withdraw Israeli forces from the Golan Heights, captured during the 1967 Six-Day War, and return the territory to Syria.

The supposed arrangement was dropped when the uprising began against Assad in 2010, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

The office of the Israeli prime minister denied the deal took place.