'Israel' violating the 1974 disengagement deal, Syria interim FM says
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Syria's Foreign Minister says the Israeli occupation is violating the disengagement agreement with his country through the incursions it is carrying out.
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Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi attend the 9th international conference in support of Syria at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, March 17, 2025 (AP)
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani described the ninth Brussels Conference on Syria as a “moral obligation” amid the country’s ongoing crisis, emphasizing the importance of genuine Syrian representation at the donor meeting.
Speaking at the conference, al-Shibani highlighted the political transformations in Syria, stating, “Our country has witnessed real political shifts… Syrians are united and rallying around their new administration to ensure its success.”
Al-Shibani also accused the Israeli occupation of violating the 1974 Disengagement Agreement by conducting incursions into Syrian territory, which he said posed a threat to Syria’s sovereignty and the safety of its people. Additionally, he addressed efforts to implement agreements with the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), affirming that Syria was working to prevent any threats to neighboring countries.
The Israeli occupation has taken advantage of the recent political shift in Syria, marked by the armed opposition's rise to power and the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's government. Exploiting the instability, the occupation has intensified its aggression by targeting Syria's military infrastructure, destroying vital facilities, and occupying an estimated 600 square kilometers of southern Syrian territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously instructed the military to prepare to remain in the Syrian Mount Hermon area and the UN-patrolled buffer zone until at least the end of 2025.
Israeli occupation forces, backed by heavy military vehicles and armored units, advanced toward the town of Majduliya and its hospital in the central countryside of Quneitra, southern Syria, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported earlier in the month.
The incursion was accompanied by Israeli reconnaissance drones flying over Quneitra province, as well as Israeli forces advancing into the town of Umm Batnah in the central countryside and the village of Ain al-Nouriya in northern Quneitra.
This also comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the full demilitarization of Southern Syria, citing escalating security concerns over the presence of "hostile forces near Israel’s borders," Israel Hayom reported.
Lebanon calls for Syrian refugee repatriation
Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raji, also attending the conference, argued that the continued presence of Syrian refugees in Lebanon no longer has a legal justification, as circumstances in Syria have changed.
“The evolving situation in Syria shows that Syrian refugees in Lebanon are no longer fleeing war or persecution but have effectively become economic migrants,” Raji said. “It is no longer logical to continue financing economic migrants in Lebanon.”
Raji also urged for the lifting of sanctions on Syria to facilitate a transition from early recovery efforts to full-scale reconstruction, emphasizing the need to support Syrians within their own country.
He noted the recent influx of thousands of Syrians into Lebanon following events along Syria’s coastal region but stressed that this “does not mean accepting the replacement of one refugee with another.”
Meanwhile, protests erupted in Brussels during the donor conference, with demonstrators condemning violations and massacres in Syria’s coastal region, an Al Mayadeen correspondent reported.
Rising border tensions
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun announced that he had instructed Foreign Minister Raji to engage with the Syrian delegation at the conference to address ongoing border issues promptly, ensuring the sovereignty of both nations and preventing further instability.
An Al Mayadeen correspondent in eastern Lebanon reported on Sunday evening that continuous artillery shelling from positions held by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham in the countryside of al-Qusayr, Syria, targeted the Lebanese border town of al-Qasr, north of Hermel district.
According to the report, an artillery shell fired by the militant group struck a house in Hawdh al-Assi, near Hosh al-Sayyid Ali, a village along the Lebanese-Syrian border.
One child was martyred and four other individuals were wounded in the bombardment.
Simultaneously, a Lebanese Army reconnaissance drone was seen patrolling the skies over Hermel and the border areas with Syria.
In a related development, the Lebanese Army handed over to the Red Cross, through Syrian authorities, the bodies of three fighters who were found in al-Qasr, according to the correspondent.
