World
Syrian Militant Leader Calls for Israeli Withdrawal
A prominent Syrian militant leader demands the withdrawal of Israeli forces, escalating tensions amid ongoing regional conflicts in the Middle East.
Abu Mohammad al-Julani, the leader of the militants who seized control in Damascus, has called for Israeli forces that have moved into Syria to withdraw and for UN peacekeepers to be stationed in the buffer zone.
Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, widely recognized by his nom de guerre, leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which took control of Damascus last month following over a decade of conflict against President Bashar Assad. Seizing the opportunity, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) advanced from their former positions in the Golan Heights to capture the strategically significant Mount Hermon.
Al-Julani told Reuters on Thursday that Israeli progress in the region was attributed to the presence of Iranian militias and Hezbollah, but argued that this presence no longer exists.
The newly established Syrian government has expressed its willingness to back the deployment of UN forces in the buffer zone and has urged for Israeli troops to withdraw.
Israel first gained control of the Golan Heights in 1967, following a victory over Syria and Egypt in a conflict that lasted six days. In 1973, Damascus was unsuccessful in its attempt to reclaim this strategic area. West Jerusalem formally annexed the territory in 1981, though this action has not received international recognition. A longstanding buffer zone between the Israeli-controlled region and Syria is maintained by the UN Observation Mission (UNDOF).
Last month, as HTS advanced towards Damascus, the IDF entered the buffer zone and occasionally moved beyond it into Syrian territory.
In mid-December, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the IDF position on Mt Hermon and described it as “an exciting historical moment.” Shortly afterward, he revealed a plan to invest 40 million shekels ($11 million) aimed at doubling the Israeli population in the Golan Heights.
