Syrians demand end of Israeli occupation, liberation of Golan Heights
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The people of Syria's Quneitra are calling for the cessation of Israeli land grabs and the liberation of the occupied Golan Heights.
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Israeli occupation army armored vehicles block a road leading to the town of Quneitra, Syria, on Sunday, January 5, 2025. (AP)
Residents of Syria’s southwestern Quneitra province have renewed calls for the liberation of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, urging resistance against Tel Aviv’s territorial ambitions in the wake of political instability following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
The demand was voiced on Saturday during a discussion session organized by the Preparatory Committee for the Syrian National Dialogue Conference. The committee, tasked with gathering input for Syria’s future, including drafting a new constitution, facilitated discussions on national sovereignty and Israeli incursions into the UN-patrolled buffer zone.
Participants emphasized the unity of Syrian territory and condemned the continued Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights. They stressed the importance of personal freedoms, judicial independence, and open dialogue for rebuilding Syria, as reported by the state-run SANA news agency. Additionally, they called for accelerating the return of displaced persons and appointing a governor to manage essential services in Quneitra.
The session’s recommendations, though non-binding, will be submitted to Syria’s new administration, now under the control of the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group following Assad’s ouster in December last year.
The attendees urged the implementation of transitional justice, amnesty, and reconciliation, the establishment of a special committee for Quneitra and Golan residents, the formation of a national army, a revision of educational curricula, and the promotion of economic justice and transparency.
'Israel' continues to advance in Quneitra
Meanwhile, reports indicate that Israeli forces have advanced into several villages in Quneitra’s southern countryside, including al-Asbah, Kodna, al-Rafid, and Hiran—areas under Israeli occupation since 1967. Satellite images published by Israeli newspaper Haaretz further revealed the construction of seven new Israeli military outposts within Syrian territory, equipped with living quarters, command centers, clinics, showers, and restrooms.
The Israeli occupation has intensified its attacks on former Syrian military installations and infrastructure, drawing widespread condemnation for violating Syrian sovereignty. Despite already occupying the Golan Heights since 1967, the Israeli occupation has also expanded into the UN-patrolled buffer zone, originally established after the 1973 October War.
In a related development, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that Israeli occupation forces are constructing a new observation post near the Agricultural Tower in the town of Jubaatha al-Khashab in northern Quneitra.
