UN official warns Israeli actions in Syria threaten fragile political transition

A senior UN official on Wednesday warned that Israel's continued military presence and airstrikes in Syria threaten the country's fragile political transition.

"There have been hundreds of reported Israeli airstrikes across Syria since 8 December of last year, in the southwest, the Syrian coast, northeastern Syria, Damascus, Hama, and Homs," Khaled Khiari, UN assistant secretary-general for the Middle East and Asia and the Pacific, told the UN Security Council, referring to the day that Syria’s former Assad regime ended.

Noting that Israeli officials have signaled a long-term presence in Syria, Khairi said: "Such facts on the ground are not easily reversed. They do threaten Syria's fragile political transition."

Citing recent statements by Israeli officials, Khiari said: "The Israeli defense minister was quoted on 3 April as qualifying the recent airstrikes in Syria as 'a warning for the future,' as he added that Israel would 'not allow Syria to become a threat' to Israel’s security interests."

He reaffirmed support for Syria's "sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity," and warned: "This council’s commitment to Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity grows in importance by the day."

"Syria is at a crossroads and deserves a chance to continue to work towards an inclusive political transition," Khiari said, adding that "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."

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN under-secretary-general for peace operations, also raised concern at the Security Council over Israeli activity in the UN-monitored area.

Lacroix said that Israeli army "currently occupies 12 positions that they established on the Bravo side – 10 in the area of separation and two in the area of limitation in the vicinity of the Bravo line."

He added that Israel "continue to construct counter-mobility obstacles" and carry out air activity across the ceasefire line, while also restricting the movement of UN personnel and residents in the area.

"It remains critical that all parties uphold their obligations under the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement," he said, stressing that "there should be no military forces or activities in the area of separation, other than those of UNDOF."

The disengagement agreement established the borders of a buffer zone and demilitarized area. "Bravo Line" is known as the Syrian side of the ceasefire line, and "Alpha Line" is known as the Israeli side of the ceasefire line.

It is monitored by the UNDOF, as it is tasked with maintaining a ceasefire between Israel and Syria following the 1973 Middle East War.

In a clear violation of Syrian sovereignty, Israel has intensified airstrikes across Syria in recent days, targeting military sites, following the Dec. 8 ouster of the Bashar Assad regime by anti-regime groups.

Israel also declared the collapse of the 1974 agreement, which had established a demilitarized buffer zone in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The Israeli military has since deployed forces into the buffer zone, a move condemned by the UN and several Arab nations.