Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

Opportunity to Bring Syria Back to Peace, Legitimacy ‘Must Not Be Derailed as Result of Syria Regressing into Geopolitical Battlefield’, Delegate Stresses

In the wake of hundreds of reported Israeli air strikes across Syria since 8 December 2024, the Israel Defense Forces’ public confirmation that it built multiple positions in the area of separation and statements by Israeli leaders on their intent to stay in Syria for the foreseeable future, senior UN officials told the Security Council today that all parties must uphold their obligations under the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.

“Such facts on the ground are not easily reversed — they do threaten Syria’s fragile political transition,” observed Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations.  He pointed to reports of multiple Israeli air strikes across Syria on 3 April, as well as earlier indications by the authorities in Damascus on “not presenting threats to [Syria’s] neighbours and seeking peace on their borders”.  He also pointed to the Israel’s Defence Minister’s 3 April statement qualifying the strikes as “a warning for the future”.

“Considering these developments”, he spotlighted the Council’s 14 March presidential statement calling on all States to respect Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity and to “refrain from any action or interference that may further destabilize Syria”.  Underscoring that the Council’s commitment to the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity “grows in importance by the day”, he urged:  “Syria’s opportunity to stabilize after 14 years of conflict must be supported and protected, for Syrians and for Israelis, this is the only way regional peace and security can be realized.”

Providing additional information, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, said that the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) area of operations is characterized by significant violations of the Disengagement Agreement.  Israeli forces currently occupy 10 positions in the area of separation and 2 in the area of limitation.  They also continue to construct countermobility obstacles along the ceasefire line and have flown aircraft across the line and into the area of separation.

Detailing the incident on 3 April, he said that UNDOF personnel observed the movement of Israeli troops in vehicles.  Such personnel later heard and observed multiple explosions, assessing them to be a result of Israeli artillery fire, likely in Nawa and Tasil.  It remains critical, he emphasized, that all parties uphold their obligations under the Disengagement Agreement — including by ending all unauthorized presence in the areas of separation and limitation — and he underscored:  “There should be no military forces or activities in the area of separation other than those of UNDOF.”

As the floor opened, the representative of Algeria — also speaking for Guyana, Sierra Leone and Somalia — condemned Israel’s military operations in Syria as violations of international law.  “It is crucial to highlight that Syria has neither threatened nor attacked Israel,” he added.  “Upholding international law is not a matter of choice,” he underscored, stating that these escalatory actions — coupled with inflammatory statements by Israeli officials regarding the “indefinite” presence of their forces in Syria — “are contributing to instability and threatening regional peace and security”.

“In the four months since the change of power in Damascus, Israel has already carried out more than 700 strikes targeting Syria,” said the representative of the Russian Federation, adding that the geographical span of these strikes has recently expanded.  He stressed:  “These actions are a gross violation of Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity, which under no circumstances need to be called into question — regardless of who holds power in Damascus.”

Similarly, the representative of Pakistan said that Israel’s recent air strikes — flagrant violations of international law — “further undermine Syria’s pursuit of political stabilization and national reconciliation”.  Moreover, he pointed to a “deeply troubling pattern” of Israel’s continued, unprovoked military aggression, repeated violations of the Disengagement Agreement, illegal military presence in the area of separation and open declaration of indefinite occupation.  “The Security Council cannot allow illegal military actions to set dangerous precedents,” he urged.

“The fragmentation of Syria is in no one’s interest,” said the representative of France, Council President for April, speaking in his national capacity.  He therefore joined others in calling on Israel to cease its military activities in Syrian territory, respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and withdraw from the area of separation.  In addition to making those calls, China’s representative said that “a smooth political transition is the key to restoring peace and stability in Syria and should be the primary goal of the joint efforts of all parties”.

Several Council members underlined the deleterious effect that instability could have on that transition.  While acknowledging neighbouring countries’ interest in ensuring that events in Syria do not pose a risk to their security, Slovenia’s representative stressed:  “We remain convinced that external military interventions in the fragile moment of Syrian transition do not contribute to this legitimate objective — indeed, they could have a countereffect.”  The “historic opportunity” to bring Syria back to peace and legitimacy “must not be derailed as a result of Syria regressing into a geopolitical battlefield”, urged the representative of the Republic of Korea.

“Events reported by different sources cause concern for a number of reasons,” said Panama’s representative — particularly when they result in mass casualties, significant material damage and generate a climate of greater uncertainty and instability “at a particularly delicate time for the country”.  He also expressed concern over the impact on civilians, underscoring the importance of guaranteeing the protection of civilians and respecting international humanitarian law “at all times”.

“After 14 years of tyranny and conflict at the hands of the Assad regime, the Syrian people still face staggering humanitarian needs,” observed the representative of the United Kingdom, noting that her country has recently pledged up to $207 million in critical humanitarian assistance. “Our focus now should be on supporting Syrians to rebuild their country,” she stressed.  Similarly, the representative of Greece urged those present not to lose sight of Syria’s humanitarian crisis, highlighting the European Union’s overall commitment of some €2.5 billion for Syria’s recovery.

Stating that Council members should all agree that a stable, sovereign Syria is “critical for our collective security”, the representative of the United States stressed:  “Israel has an inherent right of self-defence, including against terrorist groups operating close to its border.”  She urged the Council to “recommit itself to combating terrorism in Syria, call on Iran and other external actors to stop arming and advising terrorist groups, and urge regional States to rein in the actions of proxies who threaten regional peace and security”.

Also acknowledging Israel’s legitimate security concerns, Denmark’s representative nevertheless expressed concern over its recent attacks in Syria.  Expressing support for UNDOF, which “has worked to address both Israel’s and Syria’s security concerns” for decades, she urged Israel to withdraw from the area of separation.  With both progress made and challenges present on Syria’s path to a new future, she stressed: “The international community — in particular this Council — has a responsibility to support the people of Syria on that path.”

Syria’s representative, for his part, noted the “positive and constructive declarations and initiatives undertaken by Member States, international organizations and political groups to support Syria and its people”.  However, in parallel, Israel has challenged international efforts, threatened Syria’s territorial integrity and undermined Government efforts.  Citing the Secretary-General’s latest report, he pointed to “the incursion of the Israeli occupation forces into the buffer zone, the significant alteration of the situation therein and the impact on [UNDOF’s] operations since 8 December [2024]”.

Israel is also threatening Syria’s water security, establishing military outposts for its forces and promoting tourist tours for settlers in the areas it has invaded, he stressed.  “This exposes the falsity of the occupation entity’s claims that its incursion is temporary and limited — it clearly reveals its aggressive and expansionist intentions,” he added.  Calling on the Council to end Israel’s ongoing aggression and compel its withdrawal from all Syrian lands, he concluded:  “Attempts to impose solutions by force — and to give precedence to the law of force over the force of law — are doomed to failure.”

Meanwhile, the representative of Israel said:  “We will do whatever is necessary — for however long it takes — to prevent another 7 October [2023].”  Israel’s actions, he stressed, have been guided not by ambitions of expansion, but by necessity, security and prevention.  Pointing, as an example, to the Israel Defense Forces’ dismantling of an underground missile factory “constructed by Iran” in central Syria, he said that “this factory of death had already begun producing precision-guided missiles, several of which were subsequently used in attacks on Israeli territory by Hizbullah”.

While underscoring that “Israel does not seek territorial gains in Syria”, he stated:  “Where threat exists, we will meet it without hesitation.”  For its part, Israel continues to coordinate with UNDOF under the framework of resolution 350 (1974).  He emphasized, however, that peacekeeping efforts alone cannot stop the spread of sophisticated weapons, intercept Iranian missile parts, dismantle terrorist tunnels or prevent the creation of launch sites embedded in civilian terrain. While Israel is committed to deconfliction and dialogue, he stressed:  “But we are also committed to the protection of our people, and that must take precedence when lives are at stake.”

For his part, the representative of Libya spoke for the Arab Group to condemn Israel’s repeated aggression against Syria as “blatant” violations of international law.  “They are undoubtedly a threat to the peace and security of the entire region,” he stressed, calling on the international community — particularly the Council — to shoulder its legal and moral responsibility to pressure Israel to immediately cease its aggression and withdraw from all Syrian territory.

Türkiye’s representative, stating that eliminating terrorist organizations in Syria “remains essential for lasting peace and unity”, stressed that all armed elements must surrender their weapons to the Syrian State, that all terrorist entities must be removed from Syrian territory and that security responsibilities for detention centres and camps in the country’s north-east must be swiftly transferred to the Syrian administration.  “Failure in Syria is not an option,” she said.

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* The 9895^th Meeting was closed.

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