Israeli forces establish checkpoint in southern Syria

Israeli forces have established a temporary checkpoint in the countryside of the southern Syrian area of Quneitra, as reported by the Middle East Eye via the Syrian Sana news agency on December 17th.

A convoy of four Israeli military vehicles reached Quneitra, which is located south of Damascus. The establishment of a temporary checkpoint in the Syrian territory marks the latest violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria.

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government on December 8th, 2024, Israeli forces have seized land in what was the UN-patrolled buffer zone, which separated Israeli and Syrian troops.

As reported on December 4th, the UN General Assembly voted to adopt a resolution that calls on Israel to withdraw its troops from the Syrian Golan Heights.

Israel has continuously sought to expand its territory in line with the “Greater Israel” idea, which presents a vision of Israel expanding its territories to fully encompass the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, along with areas of Syria and Jordan.

In August, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proclaimed he was on a “historic and spiritual mission” in pursuit of a Greater Israel, but there have been objections from nations opposed to Israeli territorial expansion.

An estimated 25,000 Israelis currently reside in the Golan Heights, which was formally annexed by Israel in 1981, a move that the US recognises as legitimate.

Two-thirds of the Golan Heights is occupied by Israel, and the majority of the area’s inhabitants have refused Israeli citizenship, with only 20% accepting the offer as of 2018.

It was reported on December 16th, that photos emerged of Israeli soldiers marking Hanukkah in occupied Syria as well the West Bank and Gaza.

The gesture was likely symbolic of Israel’s growing military presence in Syria, despite President Ahmed al-Sharaa urging for Israel’s withdrawal.

It was reported on November 22nd that Netanyahu had visited Israeli troops stationed in occupied Syria allegedly under the guise of protecting the region’s Druze population, a religious minority that has faced difficulties with integrating into the Syrian state.

Middle East Eye via Sana, Maghrebi.org