Syria's braces to cooperate with UN if Israel retreats from demilitarized zone
Date
1/30/2025 7:24:15 AM
(MENAFN) Syria's new administration announced on Wednesday that it is fully prepared to cooperate with the United Nations, contingent on Israel's withdrawal from a demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights, which has been occupied by Israel. This declaration was made during a meeting held in Damascus, where Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani, Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, and a UN delegation, led by Under-Secretary-General for UN Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Major-General Patrick Gauchat, the acting head of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), discussed the situation.
During the meeting, Syria confirmed that it is ready to cooperate with the UN and secure its positions along the border in line with the 1974 mandate, provided Israeli forces immediately withdraw from the occupied demilitarized zone. The Syrian state news agency, SANA, reported that the UN delegation reiterated its commitment to resolving the issue and restoring stability to the region and the border.
The meeting came one day after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Israel would not withdraw from the demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights and that its forces would remain there indefinitely. This statement followed the Israeli army's occupation of the area in December 2024, which violated the 1974 Disengagement Agreement with Syria, thus expanding Israel's control over the Golan Heights, which it has occupied since the 1967 Middle East War.
The region's political landscape has shifted significantly since the fall of the Baath Party’s regime, with Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fleeing to Russia in December 2024 after anti-regime forces took control of Damascus. A new administration led by Ahmed Al-Sharaa has since taken control of the country.
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