The United Nations envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, described the Israeli incursion into Syria as “unacceptable”, calling for the lifting of long-standing sanctions on Damascus.
“There is no excuse for what the Israelis are now doing, and this needs to stop,” Pedersen said in a press conference held in Damascus.
After Syrian factions overthrew Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, the Israeli occupation army has expanded its control over the Golan Heights, which it has occupied since the 5 June 1967 war. The Israeli expansion included the demilitarised zone.
Pedersen called for the lifting of sanctions currently imposed on Syria. “These sanctions were of course imposed on the former regime, and I think it’s extremely important that all the sanctioning states are now looking into this, and to see what they can do to help the emergence of a new Syria,” he said.
Sanctions were first imposed on Syria in December 1979 when the country was designated a “state sponsor of terrorism.” They were tightened in 2004 with the implementation of the US law known as the “Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act.”
READ: 6 EU nations call for temporary Syria sanctions relief
With the outbreak of Syria’s civil war in 2011, the sanctions were further expanded to include trade bans on energy and financial sectors that funded the Assad regime, asset freezes for senior officials, and restrictions on US companies doing business with Syria.
The scope of sanctions further widened with the introduction of the “Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act” in December 2019, signed by then-President Donald Trump. This legislation, named after a regime employee who defected and leaked images of torture victims, came into effect in June 2020.
Commenting on the current Syrian government, led by Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the UN envoy noted: “It’s only after six weeks since they took control of Damascus and most of Syria. And this as we all know is following 14 years of war and conflict and 54 years of one-man rule. And any country and caretaker authority that would take power in such a situation will obviously face huge challenges.”
He noted that “there have been and continue to be incidents, unacceptable things, things that ought not to happen …. But … I also welcome the message I heard from the Caretaker Authority. And this has been stated very clearly that the need should be no revenge, and assurances that all Syrians will be protected and have a stake in the future.”
Pedersen revealed that he had discussed with the new administration’s leader, plans to unify factions under the Ministry of Defence, adding that “the formation of one Syrian national army … is vital for stability.”
But it obviously also requires careful management in a way that avoids competing armies and fragmented command structures.