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In southern Syria’s Quneitra province, residents are voicing frustration over Israeli military incursions into their territory and the perceived inaction from both local authorities and the international community. The provincial capital, formerly known as Baath City and now Salam City, saw a blockade on one of its main roads, where Israeli tanks were spotted maneuvering amidst debris and barriers made from fallen palm trees and metal poles.
Israeli forces entered this region, part of a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights, soon after the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government in the country’s ongoing civil war. These actions have sparked protests from local residents, who report Israeli forces demolishing homes and preventing farmers from accessing their land. On at least two occasions, Israeli soldiers reportedly opened fire on protesters approaching their positions.
Quneitra, with its rural charm of small villages and olive groves, has become a focal point of local frustration. Residents feel helpless, not only because of the Israeli incursions but also due to the lack of response from Syria’s newly formed government and international bodies.
Rinata Fastas, a local resident, expressed her concern about the increasing Israeli presence and the potential for further territorial expansion. Fastas’ home lies in an area recently blocked off by Israeli forces, and she fears that the military might attempt to occupy more of the region. While Syria has been unable to mount a significant military response, Fastas questioned why the new Syrian government hasn’t made a public stand on the ongoing violations in Quneitra.
Israeli military activities in the region, including raids on local government buildings and incursions into areas outside the designated buffer zone, have drawn criticism from the United Nations, which accuses Israel of violating the 1974 ceasefire agreement between the two nations. Despite this, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israeli troops will remain in the area until a security arrangement is reached.
The new Syrian government, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, the head of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has publicly stated that Syria does not seek military conflict with Israel. Syria’s leaders are focused on rebuilding the nation’s institutions, its military, and pushing for the removal of Western sanctions.
Meanwhile, the people of Quneitra are left to cope with the immediate impacts of the Israeli military presence. In the village of Rafid, within the buffer zone, residents reported the destruction of two civilian homes, a grove of trees, and a former Syrian military outpost. Local officials like Mayor Omar Mahmoud Ismail have voiced their defiance against Israeli forces, rejecting the notion of friendly occupation.
In the village of Dawaya, outside the buffer zone, 18-year-old Abdelrahman Khaled al-Aqqa was shot by Israeli soldiers during a protest on December 25. Despite having no weapons, al-Aqqa and other protesters, who were chanting anti-Israel slogans, were met with gunfire. Six protesters were injured during the clash, and similar incidents have been reported in other areas, where protesters have been targeted by Israeli troops.
Local religious officials, like Adel Subhi al-Ali, have called on the international community to pressure Israel to adhere to the terms of the 1974 ceasefire and return control of the Golan Heights to Syria. However, there is a general acknowledgment that Syria is currently too fragile to challenge Israel militarily or politically.
As Syria’s new leadership focuses on rebuilding its state, residents in Quneitra continue to face the reality of a shifting geopolitical landscape, with little immediate recourse for the protection of their land and rights.