Syria signals openness to UN peacekeepers in buffer zone with Israel News
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Syria signals openness to UN peacekeepers in buffer zone with Israel

Syrian de-facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa announced on Thursday that the country is ready to allow UN forces into the UN-established buffer zone along the Israeli border. This statement was made during a joint news conference held in Damascus with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

Speaking to the media, al-Sharaa said (as quoted by Middle East Eye), “The excuses for Israel’s advances in the region was the presence of Iranian militias and Hezbollah. After the liberation of Damascus, I believe they have no presence at all.”

Al-Sharaa continued, “There are pretexts that Israel is using today to advance into the Syrian region into the buffer zone. Since the beginning we’ve spoken to other countries and said, Syria remains committed to the 1974 Agreement and is ready to welcome and protect UN forces to restore conditions to their prior state, before the Israeli advancement.” He further stated that his Qatari counterparts were in agreement, saying they will play “an active role” in pressuring Israel to withdraw.

Al-Sharaa addressed Israel’s recent military activities in the area, which he attributed to fears of potential threats from Iranian militias and Hezbollah. He assured that these groups are no longer present in the region, suggesting a new phase of de-escalation and cooperation.

The Agreement on Disengagement between Israel and Syria was signed on May 31, 1974, following the Yom Kippur War in 1973. This agreement was brokered by the UN and focused on establishing a ceasefire and reducing tensions between the two nations.

The 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement included both countries agreeing to cease hostilities and withdraw their forces to positions designated by the agreement. This involved Israel pulling back from territories it occupied in the Golan Heights during the war. A buffer zone, known as the Area of Separation, was created and monitored by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) to prevent direct military engagement between Israeli and Syrian forces.

The announcement comes as Syria’s new government has been greeted by hesitant optimism by the international community. Germany’s Foreign Minister and the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court previously visited Syria and met with the de-facto authorities about their willingness to work with the court on “building partnership towards accountability for crimes committed in Syria.”

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