UN Syria envoy: Golan is Syrian land and Israel is mistaken to see security talks as waiver of rights

Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim al-Albi, has reaffirmed that the Golan Heights are occupied Syrian territory, saying Israel is mistaken if it believes that engaging in security talks means Syria is giving up its rights.

Speaking during a UN Security Council session on the latest developments in the Middle East, Ambassador al-Albi said: “The occupied Syrian Golan is Syrian land, and Israel is mistaken if it thinks that our engagement in security talks with it amounts to a waiver of the rights of the Syrian people.”

Al-Albi said he recently carried out a field visit to southern Syria, where he assessed the situation and listened to residents describing their suffering as a result of ongoing Israeli attacks.

He accused Israeli aircraft of “spraying unknown substances” over Syrian territory, stating: “Israeli occupation aircraft have, on more than one occasion, sprayed unknown substances over Syrian land in Quneitra province.”

The Syrian envoy also stressed that Israel is still trying to play a “destructive role” through incitement, saying: “Israel is still trying to play a destructive role by inciting the components of the Syrian people against each other through some false slogans, but the Syrian people are aware of these Israeli plots.”

He renewed calls for an “end to the illegal presence of Israeli occupation forces in the separation zone since 8 December 2024.”

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