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‘Israel’ expanding operations in southern Syria toward key dams

Al Mayadeen | December 17, 2024

Israeli occupation forces have partially withdrawn from the al-Raqad Dam area near Saida al-Golan in the southern countryside of Quneitra, a local Syrian source told Al Mayadeen on Tuesday.

The source reported that the withdrawing forces redeployed to Tel al-Saqi in the occupied Golan Heights, a position overlooking the Yarmouk Basin and southern Quneitra. However, the Israeli forces maintained a presence along the axis stretching from Barracks 74 to the valleys of Raqad and Taim, focusing their operations near key water sources and dams in southern Syria.

Simultaneously, Israeli occupation forces have installed advanced communication equipment on Jabal Qurs al-Nafl, west of Hader in Quneitra’s countryside. According to local sources, this strategic elevation directly overlooks the occupied town of Majdal Shams and critical Israeli supply routes toward the Lebanese border.

Continued encroachment

Earlier on Tuesday, an Al Mayadeen correspondent reported Israeli incursions into Saida in the occupied Golan and its neighboring village of al-Muqraz, located at the administrative border between Daraa and Quneitra. The occupation forces have also seized control of the Yarmouk Basin, including the Yarmouk River and the al-Wehda Dam, asserting dominance over key water resources in the region.

Despite these advances, the Israeli forces have been unable to occupy Beit Jinn, a stronghold of local resistance, and remain stationed in its surrounding areas. Additionally, they have expanded eastward near the villages of Kuwayya, al-Mariyah, and al-Qusayr, close to the Jordanian border.

Escalation of Israeli aggression

For the sixth consecutive day, the Israeli occupation has been advancing deeper into Syrian territory. It now controls the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, has taken over the “buffer zone” in the occupied Golan Heights, and is within 15 kilometers of the Damascus-Beirut international highway.

Furthermore, the occupation has seized major freshwater resources in southern Syria, particularly in the Yarmouk Basin, signaling a strategic shift toward controlling critical infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz visited Israeli occupation forces outposts on Mount Hermon in Syria on Tuesday, emphasizing the strategic importance of the area in countering threats from Hezbollah in Lebanon and factions in Syria.

He was accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, IOF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar, and Northern Command Chief Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin.

December 17, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Illegal Occupation | , , | 1 Comment

Israel is ready to annex the West Bank, but why now?

By Dr Ramzy Baroud | MEMO | December 16, 2024

Israel is getting ready to annex the occupied Palestinian West Bank. The annexation will be a major step backwards on the road to Palestinian freedom and will likely serve as a catalyst for a new Palestinian uprising. Although annexation has been on the Israeli agenda for years, this time around a “great opportunity” — in the words of extreme far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich — has presented itself and, from an Israeli point of view, cannot be missed.

“I hope we’ll have a great opportunity with the new US administration to create full normalisation [of the Israeli occupation],” he was quoted as saying by Israeli media. This is not the first time that Smotrich, along with other Israeli extremists, has made the connection between Donald Trump moving back into the White House and the illegal expansion of Israel’s nominal borders.

Two things make Israel’s far-right optimistic about Trump’s return to the Oval Office: the Israeli experience during Trump’s first term in office, when the US president allowed the occupation state to claim sovereignty over illegal settlements, the Syrian Golan Heights and occupied East Jerusalem; and Trump’s more recent statement in the run-up to the elections.

Israel is “so tiny” on the map, said Trump when addressing the pro-Israel group Stop Anti-Semitism at an event in August, asking aloud: “Is there any way of getting more?” The statement, absurd by any definition, prompted joy among Israeli politicians, who understood it to be a green light for further annexation of Palestinian land.

Israel’s aims for colonial expansion have also received a boost in more recent days.

Following the fall of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in Syria, Israel immediately invaded large swathes of the country, reaching as far as the Quneitra governorate, less than 20 kilometres from the capital, Damascus. What is taking place in Syria serves as a model of what to expect in the West Bank in coming months.

Israel occupied nearly 70 per cent of the Syrian Golan Heights in 1967. It cemented its illegal occupation of the Arab region by formally annexing it in 1981 through the so-called Golan Heights Law. That illegal move came shortly after another illegal annexation, that of occupied Palestinian East Jerusalem the previous year.

Although the West Bank was not formally annexed, the boundaries of East Jerusalem have been expanded well beyond its historic borders, thus swallowing large parts of the West Bank. Like East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, the West Bank is also recognised as illegally occupied under international law. Israel has no legal basis to maintain its occupation, let alone annex any Palestinian or Arab land. It is allowed to do so, however, due to US-Western support and international silence.

But why is Israel keen on annexing the West Bank now?

Aside from the “great opportunity” linked to Trump’s return to power, Israel feels that its ability to sustain a genocidal war on Gaza without any international intervention to bring the extermination to an end, would make the annexation of the West Bank a far less consequential matter on the international agenda.

Even though the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a decisive ruling on the illegality of the Israeli occupation on 19 July, followed by the issuance of arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 21 November, no action was taken to actually hold Israel accountable. The annexation of the West Bank is unlikely to change that, especially as Israel conducts its wars and illegal actions with direct US support.

The Democratic administration of Joe Biden has financed and supported all Israeli wars, including the current genocide. Trump is expected to be equally generous, or at the very least, not at all critical.

With all of this in mind, the annexation of the West Bank in the coming weeks or months is a real possibility. In fact, Smotrich has already informed “workers of the Defence Ministry body in charge of Israeli and Palestinian civil affairs in the West Bank” about his plans to “shut down the department as part of an envisioned Israeli annexation of the area,” the Times of Israel reported on 6 December.

While such annexation will not change the legal status of the West Bank under international law, it will have dire consequences for the millions of Palestinians living there, as annexation is likely to be followed by a violent campaign of ethnic cleansing, if not from the whole of the West Bank, certainly from large parts of it.

Annexation will also render the Palestinian Authority legally irrelevant.

It was created following the Oslo Accords to administer parts of the West Bank in anticipation of a future sovereign state, which has never materialised. Will the PA agree to remain functional as part of the Israeli military administration of a newly annexed West Bank?

Palestinians will certainly resist, as they always do. The nature of the resistance will prove critical in the success or failure of the Israeli scheme. A popular Intifada, for example, will overstretch the Israeli military, which will likely use an unprecedented degree of violence to suppress Palestinians, but is unlikely to succeed.

Annexing the West Bank at a time when Palestine — in fact, the whole region — is in turmoil, is a recipe for perpetual war. From the viewpoint of Smotrich and his ilk, that will be another “great opportunity”, as it will secure their political survival for years to come.

December 16, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Illegal Occupation | , , , , | 1 Comment

IOF storm Quneitra countryside villages, residents defy evacuations

Al Mayadeen | December 12, 2024

Israeli occupation forces stormed Wednesday evening the towns of Ruwaihinah and Umm Batna in the central countryside of Quneitra, local sources in southern Syria told Al Mayadeen.

According to the sources, the Israeli incursion involved tanks and infantry units, during which several houses were searched and various weapons and ammunition were seized.

The occupation forces later withdrew from Umm Batna after stationing at a military site, west of the town, which they subsequently detonated, before redeploying in the town of al-Ajraf in the central countryside of Quneitra.

Media sources also told Al Mayadeen that the residents of Quneitra have refused to evacuate their villages.

A couple of days ago, a delegation of locals and community leaders engaged in negotiations with Israeli occupation forces, facilitated by the coordination of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), in a meeting that lasted over 10 hours.

The sources indicated that the meeting concluded with an agreement to construct a road west of the village of Kwdana to prevent occupation forces from entering the village, while ensuring services for the villagers, allowing residents to move freely within the villages and carry out their daily activities.

It was also agreed to reopen the governorate building in the coming days and for the occupation forces to retreat to the al-Mashtal Bridge. However, any gunfire or carrying of weapons would risk the re-entry of the occupation forces into the village.

The community leaders and residents unanimously agreed to remain in their homes and not evacuate the villages where Israeli forces had advanced. It was also agreed to turn in specific weapons in each village—such as RPG launchers and machine guns—through local community mediation to the provincial police leadership, with a strict prohibition on any gunfire in the villages.

In the same context, media reports on Thursday highlighted further incursions by Israeli forces in the Quneitra province, where residents of some villages were forcibly displaced to “annex” these areas into a buffer zone, which has reached a depth of five kilometers in certain regions.

Additionally, local sources indicated that Israeli forces carried out a forced evacuation of the residents of the village of Rasem al-Ruwadi in Quneitra. Meanwhile, a UN source reported that Israeli forces have been obstructing the operations of peacekeeping forces in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

Netanyahu says occupied Syrian Golan Heights Israeli ‘for eternity’

On Monday, a UN official said Israeli occupation forces (IOF) moving into the buffer zone on the border of the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights “violate” the 1974 disengagement agreement between “Israel” and Syria.

The UN peacekeeping force in the Golan Heights, known as UNDOF, “informed the Israeli counterparts that these actions would constitute a violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement,” according to Stephane Dujarric, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesperson.

Dujarric explained that the IOF had invaded the zone and were still there in at least three sites.

He explained that the IOF “have entered the area of separation and have been moving within that area where they remain in at least three locations throughout the area of separation,” adding that there should be no military or activities in that area and “Israel and Syria must continue to uphold the terms of that 1974 agreement, and preserve stability in the Golan.”

Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a speech said the occupied Syrian Golan Heights are Israeli “for eternity”.

Netanyahu further underscored that Israeli occupation forces’ control of the high ground “ensures our security and sovereignty.”

December 12, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Illegal Occupation | , , | Leave a comment

With Assad gone, Israel looks to expand while rival NATO-backed groups will turn on each other

By Omar Ahmed | MEMO | December 10, 2024

While others spoke of the revival of the Syrian revolution as an inevitability, especially with the weakening of Syria and the erosion of its allies capabilities, Hezbollah in particular, others have for years warned of the dire consequences of the alternative, given the domination of the armed opposition by former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS).

The ousting of long-time President Bashar Al-Assad marks the end of 61 years of Baathist rule, paving the way for an uncharted and volatile future. As a key member of the Axis of Resistance, the loss of the Syrian state which served as a supply route from Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon is another major blow to the only regional alliance that has taken military action against Israel in support of the Palestinians.

On 27 November, a coalition of Syrian opposition groups led by HTS launched a surprise offensive against government forces in north-west Syria from their bastion of Idlib after years of deadlock. This coalition, which included Turkish-backed factions and other rebel groups, quickly gained momentum. Within days, key cities fell to the rebels, notably Aleppo, Hama and Homs, ultimately tightening the noose around Damascus, before that too fell.

The timing of this offensive appears to be anything but coincidental.

Shortly before the operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had issued stern warnings to Assad, accusing him of “playing with fire” by hosting Iranian and Hezbollah forces and his role in transferring arms to Lebanon. This sequence of events suggests that the opposition groups in Syria may have perceived an opportunity to strike; more sinisterly, it suggests a call to action. It is common knowledge that Israel has provided arms and funding to several Syrian rebel factions during the civil war.

Implying his own role in being behind the opposition offensive, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that, “The target, of course, is Damascus. The opposition’s march continues. Our wish is that this march in Syria continues without accidents.” This was reportedly after Assad’s refusal to “determine the future of Syria together” with him.

In the immediate aftermath of Assad’s downfall, Israel wasted no time and moved swiftly to “secure” its northern borders by invading Syrian territory for the first time in 50 years. On 8 December, Israeli forces occupied the demilitarised buffer zone in Syria’s already Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, seizing Mount Hermon. Netanyahu framed the further occupation as a necessary defensive measure to prevent hostile entities from establishing a presence near the settler-colonial state’s borders. Although claiming to be a temporary measure, there is nothing to say this won’t be the latest case of the occupation state pushing back its nominal borders.

According to Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, developments in Syria showed why “it is more important than ever to create a strong regional coalition, with Saudi Arabia and the countries of the Abraham Accords, to work together.” He added that, “The Iranian axis has weakened significantly, and Israel needs to strive for an overall political achievement.”

The lightning advances of opposition forces were facilitated by the weakened state of Assad’s traditional allies, notably Hezbollah and Russia, which is preoccupied with Ukraine. Hezbollah has been impacted severely by its cross-border exchanges of fire with Israel which erupted in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, and the subsequent Israeli invasion and bombing campaign in Lebanon. Having failed to achieve its stated objectives, Tel Aviv had to settle for a ceasefire, but the movement suffered significant losses, including the assassination of its Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, in September.

Nasrallah had long warned that if Syria were to fall, it would have major ramifications for Palestinian liberation. “If Syria falls, so will Palestine, the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem,” he said in 2013. “We will enter a very dark phase. If Syria falls at the hands of the Americans and the Israelis and the American representatives in the region, the ‘resistance’ will be isolated and Israel will enter Lebanon and force its laws upon it. Lebanon will return to the Israeli era.”

There is a very real threat that extremists in Lebanon may seek to instigate their own “uprising” now that Hezbollah is regrouping and recovering, without support from Damascus. “If Syria is lost, Palestine would be lost,” Nasrallah reiterated two years later.

As of now, neither HTS nor the transitional government have released a statement addressing the Israeli invasion and occupation of Syrian lands, nor how, if at all, they intend to support the Palestinian resistance. While congratulating the Syrian people, Hamas stopped short of mentioning any rebel faction specifically, but did stipulate that it hoped that post-Assad Syria would continue “its historical and pivotal role in supporting the Palestinian people.”

How this will happen remains unclear.

Hezbollah, for its part, has issued a statement following the Israeli invasion of Syria: “This aggressive occupation of Syrian lands coincides with the ongoing Zionist military aggression against Lebanon, its daily violations, and its assaults on Gaza. These interconnected threats place the region’s peoples in imminent danger, underscoring the unity of their struggle and the necessity of rejecting and confronting this aggression.”

Meanwhile, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), composed primarily of Kurdish fighters, have seized the city of Deir Ez-Zor, expanding their control over significant portions of eastern Syria. The US maintains an illegal military presence at the Al-Tanf base in southern Syria, a strategic location near the borders of Iraq and Jordan and close to Israel.

The rapid collapse of the Syrian Arab Republic and the lack of significant resistance from the Syrian Arab Army have raised questions about a potential behind-the-scenes agreement. Analysts speculate that discussions involving Russia, Iran, Turkiye and possibly the US resulted in a tacit understanding that allowed for Assad’s ouster with minimal bloodshed. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s apparent prioritisation of a resolution in Ukraine over Assad’s survival adds weight to this theory. By trading influence in Syria for concessions in Eastern Europe, Putin may have decided that Assad was expendable in the broader calculus of Moscow’s foreign policy.

Suffice to say he and his family have since been granted asylum in the Russian capital.

Essentially, the Syrian state’s prolonged depletion, exacerbated by continued Israeli bombardments targeting infrastructure and military assets, left it ill-prepared to mount any substantial defence.

With their common enemy — the Assad government — now removed, longstanding tensions among various rebel factions are likely to resurface owing to the opposing agendas of their NATO-member backers. The Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) and the US-backed SDF have historically had strained relations, primarily due to Ankara’s opposition to Kurdish autonomy near its borders. The power vacuum has heightened the risk of clashes between these groups, each vying for control over strategic territories. At the weekend, Turkish-backed Syrian fighters launched an offensive against Kurdish forces in the northern Manbij area.

While the loss of a nation-state in the Axis of Resistance represents a major blow, the broader network remains resilient. Hezbollah, although weakened, is expected to adopt a more defensive posture in the short term, focusing on rebuilding its arsenal and fortifying its positions. Yemeni and Iraqi factions, meanwhile, continue to carry out operations against Israeli targets, signalling their ongoing commitment to the cause. Without Iranian supplies going to Lebanon via Syria, though, Israel stands to make further strategic gains now that the rebels have laid out the groundwork.

Even as Syria’s role as a logistical and strategic hub diminishes, the resistance will have no choice but to adapt, relying on alternative routes and methods to sustain operations. Hezbollah will need to refocus on indigenous weapons development and rely heavily on the expertise of the IRGC — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — to recover its strength. However, this effort will face its own challenges under Donald Trump’s incoming presidency, with possible renewed sanctions and increased pressure on Iran aiming to curb its regional influence.

Assad failed to bring about serious reforms even after the respite provided by Russia, Iran and Hezbollah against the foreign-backed opposition. The army, low on morale and supplies, offered little to no resistance against the march to Damascus. With scenes of freed prisoners from the notorious Sednaya Prison, only the most unhinged could double down uncritically about support for Assad’s rule. After 13 years of war, the people want and deserve peace and stability.

However, as post-Gaddafi Libya and post-Saddam Iraq have shown, the collapse of totalitarian or authoritarian states often gives way to new conflicts and instability, with tribal, ethnic or sectarian tensions resurfacing. For now, Syria remains a fractured and weakened state, dominated by regional and global powers. It is far from being free.

December 10, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Illegal Occupation, Wars for Israel | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Israeli forces reach Damascus outskirts as chaos grips Syria

The Cradle | December 10, 2024

Israeli forces have continued to expand their occupation in Syria and are now around 20 kilometers from the capital, Damascus – coming as Tel Aviv is simultaneously waging a massive bombing campaign across the country.

The Israeli army reached the city of Qatana in the southern Damascus countryside on 10 December, according to Al Mayadeen and Reuters.

Tel Aviv has denied moving past the now expanded UN-monitored buffer zone near Quneitra, which Israeli forces invaded on 8 December after the collapse of the deposed Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s government and the storming of Damascus by extremists.

Israeli jets continued destructive airstrikes early on Tuesday, hitting Syrian army facilities in Aleppo, Damascus, and the western port city of Latakia.

“The Israeli Navy carried out a large-scale operation last night to destroy the Syrian army fleet, where several ships belonging to the Syrian naval fleet were destroyed, which were carrying dozens of naval missiles, in the area of ​​the Bayda port and the Latakia port,” Israeli Army Radio reported on 10 December.

Over 250 Israeli airstrikes have targeted Syria since the fall of Damascus. Meanwhile, violence and instability have prevailed across post-Assad Syria.

According to reports on 10 December, Syrian chemist Dr Hamdi Ismail has been found killed inside his home.

Several executions of Syrian army soldiers have been reported since Damascus fell.

The new leadership in Damascus, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) commander Abu Mohammed al-Julani, has kept quiet about the Israeli occupation of southern Syria and the relentless attacks across the country.

HTS – formerly known as Al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria, the Nusra Front – has been implicated in numerous atrocities, including kidnapping, public executions, indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas, and other war crimes over the years.

The extremist organization appointed Mohammad Bashir as the new Syrian prime minister on 9 December.

Bashir was the prime minister of the HTS-led Salvation Government, which was formed in 2017 and ruled Syria’s northern province of Idlib – where HTS was based before the massive Turkish-backed assault against Syria that began late last month.

December 10, 2024 Posted by | Illegal Occupation, Militarism | , , , , | Leave a comment

US backs Israeli invasion of Syria

RT | December 10, 2024

Washington has defended Israel’s military incursion into Syria, with State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stressing that the operation is in self-defense. At a press briefing on Monday, Miller claimed that the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) advance to the Syrian side of the Golan Heights was done to prevent Syrian-based militants from taking over the border areas and launching an offensive into Israel in the future.

Israeli troops moved into the demilitarized buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights on Sunday, after Syrian opposition forces seized Damascus and forced former President Bashar Assad to flee the country. On Monday, Israeli forces moved beyond the buffer zone and into Syria proper, with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz saying they intend to create a new “security area” there that would be clear of “heavy strategic weapons and terrorist infrastructure.”

According to Miller, by abandoning its positions in the area around the buffer zone, the Syrian Army “potentially created a vacuum” that could be filled by terrorist organizations.

“That would threaten the state of Israel and would threaten civilians inside Israel. Every country has the right to take action against terrorist organizations,” Miller stated, adding that “ultimately, it’s important that there is security along that border,” which, according to him, the Israeli military can now ensure.

Miller noted, however, that Washington expects the Israeli occupation to be temporary.

“This is a temporary action that they have taken in response to actions by the Syrian military to withdraw from that area… We want to see the 1974 disengagement agreement upheld, and that includes the terms of the buffer zones, which includes Israel withdrawing to its previous positions,” he stated, referring to Israel’s 1974 agreement with Syria to establish a demilitarized strip in the Golan Heights.

Miller’s words run counter to remarks made earlier by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While West Jerusalem told the UN Security Council that its incursion into Syria is a “limited and temporary measure” at a press conference on Monday night, Netanyahu declared that “the Golan Heights will forever be an inseparable part of the state of Israel.” He previously argued that Israel’s disengagement agreement with Syria effectively “collapsed” once Syrian troops “abandoned their positions” in the buffer zone.

The UN has criticized Israel for the incursion, saying it violates the disengagement agreement and stressing that “there should be no military forces or activities in the area of separation.” A number of Middle Eastern countries have also condemned Israel’s advance past the Golan Heights, accusing West Jerusalem of orchestrating an illegal land grab. In a statement on Monday, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry slammed the move as “a blatant attack on Syria’s sovereignty and unity” and “a flagrant violation of international law.” Similar remarks were made by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.

December 10, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Illegal Occupation, Militarism | , , , , | Leave a comment

Israeli forces seize towns in Syria’s Quneitra, moving towards Dara’a

Press TV – December 9, 2024

Israeli forces have captured two towns in the southwestern Syrian province of Quneitra near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and are moving towards the neighboring Dara’a province, after militant groups took control of the Arab country.

Israeli troops seized the towns of Madinat al-Baath and Hader after they pushed into the buffer zone in the Quneitra area and launched artillery shelling in the strategic region.

According to Israeli media outlets, the incursion was launched following heavy shelling of surrounding areas.

Israeli army soldiers are now heading towards areas in Dara’a, located about 90 kilometers (56 miles) south of the capital Damascus.

Earlier, Israeli soldiers had taken over a Syrian army outpost at the summit of Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights.

Soldiers from Shaldag, the Israeli Air Force’s commando unit, captured the outpost “without encountering resistance,” according to Kan TV News.

The commander of the Israeli military’s Northern Command, Ori Gordin, and the commander of the Training Command, David Zini, also visited the summit, the broadcaster said.

The Syrian army reportedly left the post amid the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government.

Israeli media also reported the entry of the regime’s tanks into Khan Arnabeh, which is to the northeast of Quneitra and five kilometers from the border of the occupied Golan.

The regime’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the decades-old agreement with Syria had collapsed, and he ordered Israeli forces to grab a buffer zone in the Golan Heights after Syrian soldiers had abandoned their positions.

The Israeli military also issued a warning, calling on residents of five towns in southern Syria to stay in their homes until further notice as it carried out dozens of air strikes against Syrian military bases, facilities and weapon depots.

These towns are Ofania, Quneitra, al-Hamidiyah, western al-Samadaniyah, and al-Qahtaniyah.

Armed groups, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants, announced on Sunday that they had fully captured the Syrian capital and confirmed reports of the fall of the Assad government.

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and hand over its functions to a transitional government.

December 9, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Illegal Occupation, Militarism | , , | 1 Comment

Netanyahu Says Ordered Israeli Army to ‘Seize’ Buffer Zone with Syria

Al-Manar | December 8, 2024

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he had ordered the Israeli military to “seize” a UN-patrolled buffer zone between the Israeli- and Syrian-controlled Golan Heights.

The premier said a 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria “has collapsed”, so he “directed the (military) yesterday to seize the buffer zone and the commanding positions nearby.”

“We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border,” Netanyahu said during a visit to the Mount Bental on the border between occupied Palestine and Syria.

Meanwhile, he claimed credit for starting the chain of events that led to the fall of the Syrian government after the armed opposition entered the capital, Damascus, early on Sunday.

“This is a historic day in the history of the Middle East. This is a direct result of the blows we have inflicted on Iran and Hezbollah, the main supporters of the (President Bashar) Al-Assad regime.”

Netanyahu also warned that alongside new opportunities, the flight of Assad from Syria also brings risks.

December 8, 2024 Posted by | Illegal Occupation, Wars for Israel | , , , | Leave a comment

Israel expands occupation of Golan Heights as Assad’s government falls

The Cradle | December 8, 2024

Israel deployed tanks and troops to occupy the buffer zone in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights on 8 December following the fall of the Syrian government to foreign-backed extremist groups overnight.

The Israeli army announced its forces occupy “several points necessary for defense” in the buffer zone, citing the possibility of “armed men” entering the zone.

The buffer zone was established in 1974 as part of the ceasefire that ended the Yom Kippur War between Israel and Syria.

Foreign-backed extremist militants from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) entered Damascus overnight after a lightning advance on the capital that began less than two weeks ago from their strongholds in Idlib Governorate.

Militants from HTS, formerly known as the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, quickly occupied the Aleppo countryside and city before moving south to capture Hama, Homs, and finally, Damascus.

The Syrian army withdrew from Homs and Damascus without putting up resistance.

The Israeli army claimed it “does not interfere in internal events” in Syria but will remain in the buffer zone “as long as necessary.”

Israeli troops entered the buffer zone under the pretext of an alleged threat from extremist militants.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar claimed “armed forces” entered the buffer zone and attacked UN peacekeeping forces stationed in the area.

“Israel is concerned about violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement between Israel and Syria, which also pose a threat to its security, the safety of its communities, and its citizens, particularly in the Golan Heights region,” he wrote on X.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 war, illegally occupying the area and annexing it in 1981.

Israel has bombed Syria hundreds of times since the start of the US-led covert war on Syria began in 2011. The bombing continued after the war ended in 2019, in what Israeli media dubbed the “battle between the wars.”

Israeli attacks intensified further after the start of the war in Gaza over a year ago. Israel claimed it was targeting weapons facilities used to support Hezbollah and the Islamic resistance in Lebanon.

December 8, 2024 Posted by | Illegal Occupation, Militarism | , , | 2 Comments

Growing distrust of the USA globally

By Vladimir Mashin – New Eastern Outlook – December 7, 2024

The special military operation in Ukraine essentially puts an end to the unipolar world in which the Americans considered themselves the supreme ruler, bossing around other countries.

The movement from a unipolar world to a multipolar reality takes several years and this process is not always linear. It is appropriate to recall the words of N. G. Chernyshevsky: history is not the sidewalk of Nevsky Prospekt; it goes in zigzags, with digressions, etc.

At the same time, Israel’s war in Gaza, which began in October, 2023, has noticeably accelerated this process. There are many signs that Israel’s horrible military behaviour in the Palestinian enclave under the guise of self-defence had significant geopolitical consequences, which first and foremost manifested themselves in undermining the US’ status as a global superpower. The world is deeply polarised again; the Global South no longer sees the West as a defender of values and the rule of law.

The United States has seriously weakened the UN Security Council, repeatedly using its veto power to thwart draft resolutions calling for an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. The fact that many so-called Western liberal democracies defended Israel’s policy of genocide has undermined the functioning of the existing world order.

US ‘mediation’ in favour of Israel

Israel has put itself above the law and it did so with the unconditional support of the United States. For many years, the US, which designated itself the exclusive mediator in the political settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, accepted without any reservations the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied territories, ignoring the demolition of Palestinian houses, murder and the imprisonment of thousands of people. In fact, they encouraged the apartheid regime and used their influence in the UN Security Council to curb any attempts to hold Israel accountable.

During the first Trump administration, Washington went even further, unilaterally recognising Israel’s illegal annexation of East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan Heights. By doing so, the Arab News newspaper emphasised in an article on November 26, “the United States itself became a rogue state violating international law and becoming guilty of Israeli war crimes”.

Israeli extremists assume that the United States will give them the green light to annex the West Bank of the Jordan River and thereby destroy any prospect of creating a Palestinian state.

It is the United States that is guilty of destroying many opportunities to settle the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth noted at the end of November this year that President Bill Clinton, wishing to go down in history as a peacemaker, made a bold diplomatic gesture on December 13, 1998, by visiting Gaza and the site of the future international airport of Palestine. Clinton and his wife Hillary were then greeted by Yasser Arafat and his wife Suha. The US president, whose term in office was ending, privately assured several Arab officials of his intention to declare his support for Palestinian statehood before leaving office. However, as always, his promises only remained on paper.

At the end of November this year, some Americans spread rumours that the Biden administration hinted at the possibility of supporting the Security Council resolution calling for the creation of an independent Palestinian state in an attempt to somehow wash the blood off its hands.

The West is no longer at the helm

Following the sharp international reaction to the war in Gaza, the United States are among the only open supporters of Israel’s actions. This obvious disregard by Washington and its allies for Palestinians lives has seriously undermined their authority and influence in many parts of the globe – and above all in the Global South.

The US position in the world is weakening as a result of Russia’s firm and consistent vector, China’s rapid economic growth, the birth of new coalitions of the Global South (such as BRICS, SCO, ASEAN, etc.). Regional powers such as Türkiye, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, Malaysia, etc. are gaining strength.

The growing global influence of non-Western cultural movements, especially the media, challenges the power of traditional Western media. The proliferation of diverse sources and social media platforms significantly limits the role of the once dominant Western newspapers and TV channels. Not only is America’s position weakening, but there is an unprecedented drop in confidence in government structures in Western Europe.

The transition to a multipolar world is a reality that coincides with the decline of US global hegemony and Trump’s ‘America First’ policy. As the United States retreats to its chambers, its global influence will decrease.

In the United States, there is a growing awareness of the decline of the US role in international affairs. The West is no longer at the helm, the Bloomberg agency wrote on November 20; more and more countries no longer want to play by the old rules. The domestic political situation is so tense that Bloomberg concludes that the US is in a revolutionary situation and that the decline of ordinary people’s well-being decreases trust in the ruling elites.

However, the West is not going to give up its positions without a fight, so we are yet to face new crises and cataclysms.

December 7, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Illegal Occupation, War Crimes, Wars for Israel | , , , , | 1 Comment

Syrian Army foils US-backed SDF offensive in Deir Ezzor: Sources

Al Mayadeen | December 3, 2024

The clashes initiated today by militants belonging to the Deir Ezzor Military Council, affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), toward the seven peaceful villages in Deir Ezzor, have ended, and the militants have withdrawn to the positions from which they launched their attack in northern Deir Ezzor, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported on Tuesday.

The Deir Ezzor Military Council stands for armed groups supported by US occupation forces, operating under the SDF and controlling areas north of the Euphrates River, where several US military bases are located.

Our correspondent further reported the complete withdrawal of the SDF militants after their failed attempt to advance toward the seven peaceful villages in northern Deir Ezzor, after American artillery at the Conoco field provided heavy fire cover for their assault.

Earlier, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent confirmed that US occupation forces had instructed Deir Ezzor Military Council militants to launch an attack on Syrian Army positions in the seven villages in the Deir Ezzor countryside, coinciding with an offensive by the terrorist Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and other opposition factions on Aleppo, Idlib, and Hama countrysides.

The seven villages are located on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, in the northern Deir Ezzor countryside. They are: al-Hussainiya, al-Salihiya, Hatla, Marrat, Mazloum, Khasham, and al-Tabiya, all of which are under the control of the Syrian Army.

Our correspondent added that Deir Ezzor Military Council militants had brought in mine-clearance vehicles and began removing the earthen berm on the Khasham front, northern Deir Ezzor.

Intense clashes were reported between Deir Ezzor Military Council militants and the Syrian Army on the outskirts of the towns of al-Salihiya, Marrat, and al-Tabiya in northern Deir Ezzor, where the US-backed militants shelled Khasham village in Deir Ezzor countryside with 12 mortar rounds.

Violent clashes were also reported between the militants and the Syrian Army on the al-Salihiya front in northern Deir Ezzor.

The Syrian Army units also captured 14 members of the SDF-affiliated Deir Ezzor Military Council during the attack that targeted the northeastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, Sputnik reported.

Moreover, SANA reported that the Syrian army is engaged in violent clashes with armed groups north and west of the town of Khattab in the northwestern countryside of Hama, with dozens of terrorists killed and wounded in the vicinity of the towns of Deir Ezzor and the northern countryside of Hama.

SDF attack aims to stop Resistance attacks on US occupation base

Sources told Al Mayadeen that the Americans’ goal in supporting the SDF’s attack is to stop the Resistance attacks on the Conoco base due to its proximity to these villages.

The attack was carried out under American cover and was thwarted by the army, allied forces, and locals, the sources confirmed.

According to the sources, the SDF initiated the attack by firing rockets and shells, which inflicted damage on the residents’ property.

The sources mentioned that the Syrian Army and allied forces repelled an attack by the SDF on the seven villages, north of Deir Ezzor, and forced them to withdraw.

Syrian Army repelling attack on liberated villages

Meanwhile, Syrian state TV said earlier the army and its allied forces were repelling an attack by the Deir Ezzor Military Council on the liberated villages in the al-Jazira region.

The Syrian army, along with allied forces, is also repelling an attack launched by SDF forces in the Deir Ezzor countryside, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.

On its part, the Syrian Ministry of Defense confirmed that Syrian and Russian airstrikes and missile strikes have targeted militant positions in the southern Idlib countryside and northern Hama, pointing out that the strikes resulted in dozens of fatalities and injuries among the militants, as well as the destruction of their vehicles and weapons.

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent later reported that the Syrian-Russian air forces destroyed a command center belonging to armed groups in the Khan Sheikhoun area in the southern Idlib countryside.

HTS militants launched a wide-scale offensive last Wednesday on areas in the countryside of Aleppo, Idlib, and Hama, managing to enter the city of Aleppo.

The Syrian Army subsequently established a defensive line in the northern Hama countryside and launched a counteroffensive against the militants, regaining control of villages and towns in the northern part of the province.

Qatar seeking solution

Commenting on the events, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari confirmed that “Doha is working with its partners in the region to find solutions to end the fighting in Syria.”

Qatari media quoted Al-Ansari as saying, “We emphasize that there should be a comprehensive solution in Syria based on international resolutions.”

Ensuing disagreements

In a related context, the sources told Al Mayadeen that disagreements erupted after HTS demanded that the so-called “National Army” militants evacuate the sites they had taken control of north of Aleppo.

The sources said that disagreements emerged between the HTS operations room and the “National Army’s” operations room over control positions in Aleppo and its countryside.

December 3, 2024 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Illegal Occupation, Wars for Israel | , | Leave a comment

Al-Tanf: The US stronghold in Syria and how it safeguards Israel

By Haidar Mustafa | The Cradle | December 2, 2024

On 10 September 2014, the US announced the formation of an international coalition with the participation of 86 countries to eradicate the terrorist group ISIS, which had declared the establishment of a “caliphate” in late June.

The coalition’s operations began in Syria and Iraq in early 2015. However, what unfolded was more than just a campaign against terrorism; it became a vehicle for advancing US strategic ambitions in West Asia – including the establishment of illegal military bases to secure influence and resources in eastern Syria, primarily to protect the interests of its key ally, Israel.

Exploiting the war for geostrategic gains

Washington leveraged the anti-ISIS campaign to pursue broader geostrategic goals, deploying roughly 2,000 troops into Syria – an occupation that violated international law and Syrian sovereignty. By 2016, US forces had established a presence at Al-Tanf, a strategically important base located at the tri-border area between Syria, Iraq, and Jordan. This position, south of the Euphrates River, overlooks a critical supply route from Tehran to Damascus and Beirut, which the US views as significant for regional control.

The Al-Tanf base was originally established in 1991 before the Second Gulf War, reactivated during the 2003 Iraq invasion, and then closed after US forces consolidated control in Iraq. It reopened in 2016 after ISIS was driven from the area.

Since then, Al-Tanf has served not only as a training ground for fighters of the CIA-backed Maghawir al-Thawra but also as a cornerstone of broader US interests, as Colonel Daniel Magruder Jr. noted in a 2020 Brookings Institution report entitled Al Tanf garrison: America’s strategic baggage in the Middle East.

According to Magruder, Al-Tanf was meant to facilitate the continued fight against ISIS, counter Iranian activities, and maintain leverage in negotiations over Syria’s future.

However, the base’s role went far beyond these stated goals. US occupation forces at Al-Tanf engaged in both offensive and defensive intelligence operations while also supporting armed groups against the Syrian government.

The base acted as a hub for the Military Operations Center (MOC), a joint effort with several states aimed at coordinating military activities in southern Syria, ultimately undermining Syrian sovereignty and its allies.

The real strategic goal: A buffer zone for Israel

Beyond its military role, Al-Tanf’s strategic location supports plans for a controlled buffer zone involving the nearby Rukban refugee camp. Military expert Major General Muhammad Abbas told The Cradle that this buffer would help US and Israeli objectives by creating a physical barrier between Syria and Iraq.

The base also facilitates Israeli operations in Syrian airspace, providing a logistical advantage for air force missions that circumvent Syrian air defenses. The collaboration between the US and the occupation state has been well documented, with Al-Tanf serving as a launching point for Israeli air strikes deep inside Syria – attacks that would be far riskier from other approaches due to Syrian anti-aircraft systems.

A 2021 report by the Washington Institute highlighted how the US occupying presence at Al-Tanf has directly benefited Israel, supporting its “battle between wars” – a strategic approach aimed at minimizing risk and exploiting weaknesses in Syrian defenses.

Speaking to The Cradle, political analyst Bassem al-Shehawi notes that the US presence in Syria has always aligned with safeguarding Israel, whether by severing geographical links between members of the Axis of Resistance or by deploying advanced radar and air defense systems to protect Tel Aviv’s interests.

Al-Tanf’s importance for the US and Israel  

Crucially, it also facilitates Israeli air force attacks on targets deep inside Syria – attacks that could not have been carried out from above Lebanon or the occupied Golan Heights due to the distance involved. Since 2018, when Syrian air defenses shot down an Israeli F-16, Israeli forces have completely avoided entering Syrian airspace from the western side.

Shehawi adds that this base’s importance comes from its buffer zone and air umbrella, which have a radius of 55 kilometers. These were established due to the non-conflict understanding between Russia and the US regarding Syria. The base also played a role in confronting drone and missile attacks launched by Iran during Operations True Promise 1 and 2, whether by providing radar monitoring or attempting to shoot them down, similar to the role played by other US bases in Syria and the wider region.

A report published by Al-Monitor also confirms that Israeli fighter planes had previously used the corridor along the Jordanian–Syrian border and the airspace around Al-Tanf to penetrate Syrian airspace to launch strikes.

The significance of Al-Tanf was evident during the presidency of Donald Trump, who often spoke of pulling US troops out of Syria. However, the situation on the ground was more nuanced. Even as Trump made public declarations about withdrawing troops, officials within his administration, including former National Security Advisor John Bolton, ensured that key positions like Al-Tanf remained secure. Bolton stated that any withdrawal from Syria would be conditional on an agreement with Russia to replace US forces at Al-Tanf, thereby ensuring that Israeli security interests were safeguarded.

The future of the US occupation of Syria 

With Trump poised to return to the White House next month, questions have resurfaced about the future of American military involvement in Syria. The expectation is that despite any renewed rhetoric about reducing military involvement, Al-Tanf will remain a key asset in maintaining US influence in Syria and the region.

In 2023, former Chief of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley visited Al-Tanf, emphasizing its importance for Israel’s security and confirming that there were no plans to withdraw. Al-Tanf will likely continue to play a key role in Washington’s West Asia strategy, even if it reduces its presence elsewhere in Syria.

The base serves as a strategic card – enabling continued influence, fostering instability, and complicating the region’s dynamics. Yet, a critical question remains: How sustainable is the US presence at Al-Tanf, given the growing resistance? With Iraqi and local Syrian factions increasingly targeting US positions, Washington’s ability to maintain control over Al-Tanf may weaken.

In time, Syria might leverage its own “Popular Resistance” to apply pressure, forcing US forces to eventually leave Syrian territory, as indicated earlier in the year with the tribal uprising in Deir Ezzor.

December 2, 2024 Posted by | Illegal Occupation, Wars for Israel | , , , | Leave a comment

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