Syria reasserts claim to occupied Golan, urges UN to stop 'Israel'
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The Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad reiterates his country's legal right to end the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights.
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Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad meets with visiting UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix in Damascus, Syria, on July 29, 2024. (SANA)
Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad condemned a recent missile strike that killed a dozen people in the occupied Golan Heights, emphasizing the Damascus government's "legitimate right" to reclaim sovereignty over the crucial mountainous territory.
The senior Syrian diplomat criticized the strike on Majdal Shams and urged the UN to intervene and examine Israeli troops' regular breaches and strikes on Syrian land, as well as end its recurring assault against the territory's population.
Mekdad made the statements while meeting with visiting UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and his colleagues on Monday.
He also restated his country's legal right to retrieve the Golan Heights, vowing that Syria will continue to work with and facilitate the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the territory.
He emphasized the role of the UNDOF in ensuring peace and security in the occupied Golan, as well as the need for UN engagement to "halt the actions of the occupying Israeli regime against the residents of the region."
Lacroix thanked the Syrian government for its cooperation and assistance, emphasizing the importance of UN peacekeeping operations.
Lacroix and his entourage will conduct an on-site evaluation of UNDOF activities and locations in the occupied Golan Heights.
On Saturday, an Israeli Iron Dome interceptor missile landed on a football field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams, killing 12 people and injuring dozens.
"Israel" was quick to pin the blame on Hezbollah and claimed that the Lebanese group targeted the town with an "Iranian rocket".
Hezbollah denied that it targeted Majdal Shams, a town where many residents have rejected Israeli nationality since the Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights in 1967.
'Israel' aims to sow discord: Leader of Druze community in Syria
In the aftermath of an Israeli Iron Dome interceptor missile striking a playground in Majdal Shams —a Druze-majority town in Syria— resulting in the killing of at least 12 civilians, Al Mayadeen Net interviewed Sheikh Yusuf Jarbou, the Sheikh of the Druze community in Syria.
Jarbou sternly condemned ongoing Israeli efforts to sow division and instability in the region.
He expressed unwavering confidence in the resilience and resolve of the Druze community in Majdal Shams, emphasizing their commitment to maintaining their values and principles.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Jarbou affirmed that the Druze community remains a vital pillar of Arab identity and Resistance, standing firm against attempts to create discord and implement divisive agendas.
In his interview for Al Mayadeen Net, he called on his community to exercise extreme caution regarding the threats posed by what he described as the enemy's plots. He emphasized the importance of vigilance in the face of these challenges.
Sheikh Yusuf Jarbou further expressed that it is no surprise for the residents of Majdal Shams to label Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "criminal".
The prominent figure praised the resilience of the residents in the occupied Golan Heights and Majdal Shams, commending their determined Resistance against what he described as terrorist groups that are backed by the Israeli occupation. He emphasized the community’s steadfast commitment to confronting these threats and defending their territory.
