Syrian militant leader calls for Israeli pullout
HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani has called for the deployment of UN peacekeepers in the Golan Heights buffer zone and for Israel to withdraw from territory it recently seized. Read Full Article at RT.com.
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**Al-Julani Calls for UN Peacekeepers in the Golan Heights**
Abu Mohammad al-Julani, the leader of the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has called for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Syria and the deployment of UN peacekeepers in the region's buffer zone. Al-Julani’s group recently took control of Damascus after over a decade of conflict with President Bashar Assad, which has altered the dynamics on the ground.
In response to Israel's recent military advancements, al-Julani remarked, ”Israel’s advance in the region was due to the presence of Iranian militias and Hezbollah,” asserting that their influence has diminished.
The newly established Syrian government has expressed its willingness to facilitate the presence of UN forces in the buffer zone and has urged Israeli troops to leave the area.
Israel has held control of the Golan Heights since 1967, following a six-day war with Syria and Egypt. An attempt by Damascus to reclaim the territory in 1973 was unsuccessful. Though West Jerusalem officially annexed the region in 1981, this action is not recognized internationally. Historically, the UN Observation Mission has maintained a presence in the buffer zone that separates Israeli-controlled territory from Syria.
In light of HTS's recent gains in Damascus, the Israel Defense Forces moved into the buffer zone and occasionally advanced into Syrian territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu marked this shift with a visit to IDF positions on Mount Hermon in mid-December, describing it as “an exciting historical moment.” Shortly after, he unveiled a plan to invest 40 million shekels to double the Israeli population in the Golan Heights.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
Abu Mohammad al-Julani, the leader of the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has called for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Syria and the deployment of UN peacekeepers in the region's buffer zone. Al-Julani’s group recently took control of Damascus after over a decade of conflict with President Bashar Assad, which has altered the dynamics on the ground.
In response to Israel's recent military advancements, al-Julani remarked, ”Israel’s advance in the region was due to the presence of Iranian militias and Hezbollah,” asserting that their influence has diminished.
The newly established Syrian government has expressed its willingness to facilitate the presence of UN forces in the buffer zone and has urged Israeli troops to leave the area.
Israel has held control of the Golan Heights since 1967, following a six-day war with Syria and Egypt. An attempt by Damascus to reclaim the territory in 1973 was unsuccessful. Though West Jerusalem officially annexed the region in 1981, this action is not recognized internationally. Historically, the UN Observation Mission has maintained a presence in the buffer zone that separates Israeli-controlled territory from Syria.
In light of HTS's recent gains in Damascus, the Israel Defense Forces moved into the buffer zone and occasionally advanced into Syrian territory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu marked this shift with a visit to IDF positions on Mount Hermon in mid-December, describing it as “an exciting historical moment.” Shortly after, he unveiled a plan to invest 40 million shekels to double the Israeli population in the Golan Heights.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
