Syrian opposition figures welcome potential Syria-'Israel' relations
4 Min Read
Figures within the Syrian opposition discuss establishing ties with the Israeli occupation entity.
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An Israeli army vehicle crosses through the fence into the UN-patrolled buffer zone near the village of Majdal Shams in the Israel-occupied Golan Heights on December 13, 2024. (AFP)
Fahd al-Masri, the head of the Syrian National Salvation Front and a spokesperson for the Free Syrian Army, told the Israeli newspaper Maariv, “We do not want a war with Israel.”
Last week, al-Masri spoke with Baruch Yedid, the Arab affairs commentator of i24NEWS, thanking "Israel" for its "contribution" to the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
"Without the blows you inflicted on Hezbollah and Iran, we could not free Syria," al-Masri said. He added, "Thank you, Israel. This is an Israeli victory, our brothers and neighbors."
In the same context, Yedid cited Abdul Jalil al-Saeed, described as the "former deputy Mufti of Syria," expressing optimism about potential "relations" between Syria and "Israel".
"I hope to see your correspondent reporting from the heart of Damascus," al-Saeed said.
In a special interview aired during the main news broadcast on Thursday evening, al-Saeed discussed the situation in Syria in the aftermath of the collapse of al-Assad's government, the country's uncertain future, and its relations with "Israel".
He said that “our northern neighbor, Turkiye, considers Israel a significant, even central, factor in al-Assad’s downfall.”
Al-Saeed added, "Leaders of the so-called Axis of Resistance in the Arab world believed October 7 would be their Noah’s Ark, only to find out it was their Titanic, sinking them instead."
He further claimed that “the Arab world views Israel as having shifted the course of events after betting that it could not sustain the burden of a prolonged military campaign.”
When asked by i24NEWS whether this could pave the way for peace between Syria and "Israel", al-Saeed replied that he “does not deny it” and expressed hope for the expansion of the Israeli channel's broadcasts into Syria.
“You could become a bridge for genuine peace between nations,” al-Saeed stated. “Perhaps you can attract a Syrian audience, and I hope to see your correspondent reporting from the heart of Damascus.”
i24NEWS reported what it called an “exclusive documentation of rebel voices from Damascus through their correspondent on the ground.”
Aired a few days after the collapse of the Syrian government, the report included footage described as part of a special feature to be broadcast during the main news bulletin on Sunday.
IOF infiltrate Quneitra countryside, issue warnings to Daraa residents
Meanwhile, local sources from Quneitra reported Friday that Israeli tanks "infiltrated deep into Quneitra countryside overnight, entering the town of Khan Arnabah, one of the largest towns in the province."
The Israeli tanks "entered an abandoned former military position in Khan Arnabah before later withdrawing," the sources added.
As part of its continued incursions into Syria, the Israeli occupation military also issued warnings to residents of villages in western rural Daraa, ordering them to remain in their homes, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent.
Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to "prepare to remain" throughout the winter in the UN-patrolled buffer zone on the Golan Heights.
"Due to the situation in Syria, it is of critical security importance to maintain our presence at the summit of Mount Hermon, and everything must be done to ensure the (army's) readiness on-site to enable the fighters to stay there despite the challenging weather conditions," Katz's spokesman said in a statement Friday.
In a move that has triggered widespread international criticism, including from UN chief Antonio Guterres, the Israeli military occupied the demilitarized zone on Sunday, just hours after the armed opposition in Syria seized control of most of the country's territory.
"This deployment is temporary until a force that is committed to the 1974 (armistice) agreement can be established and security on our border can be guaranteed," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office claimed on Thursday.
The UN indicated that the Israeli military's seizure of the buffer zone violates the 1974 "disengagement agreement" between Syria and "Israel".
Read more: Israeli strikes on Syria violate international law: UN experts
