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Syria: Israel no longer has justification for remaining in buffer zone

January 17, 2025 at 1:38 pm

Leader of new Syrian administration, Ahmed al Sharaa speaks in Damascus, Syria on January 11, 2025. [Foreign Desk Syria/Handout – Anadolu Agency]

Israel no longer has any justification for remaining in the buffer zone set up between the occupation state and Syria, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, leader of the New Syrian Administration, announced yesterday, adding that Damascus is ready to host United Nations (UN) forces in the area.

Speaking at a press conference, Al-Sharaa explained that Israel’s advance into the buffer zone was previously attributed to the presence of Iranian militias and Hezbollah, according to Al-Hurra channel.

“After the liberation of Damascus, these ‘Iranian militias’ are no longer present. Israel had used their presence as a pretext for advancing into the buffer zone,” he said. He reaffirmed Syria’s willingness to accommodate UN forces in the area shared with Israel.

Following the fall of the Assad regime in early December, Israel seized the opportunity to expand its occupation, capturing the Golan Heights buffer zone in violation of a 1974 disengagement agreement. The strategic Mount Hermon in Golan, a critical vantage point, also fell under the occupation state’s control. Tel Aviv has also carried out numerous air strikes on strategic military sites across Syria.

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