Israel: We Will Remain Until Security is Guaranteed in the Syrian Buffer Zone

Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced on Thursday, December 13, that Israeli soldiers will remain in the buffer zone in Syria adjacent to the Golan Heights until a force on the Syrian side can guarantee security. Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, Israeli forces advanced from their positions in the Golan Heights into Syria. Netanyahu's office stated, "Israel will not allow jihadist groups to fill this vacuum and threaten Israeli communities in the Golan Heights with attacks similar to those of October 7." This Israeli action has been criticized by the United Nations as a violation of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Syria dated May 31, 1974. According to this agreement, a UN-supervised buffer zone was established between the forces of the two countries. France, the Islamic Republic, Russia, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia have also criticized Israel's actions, while the United States described it as a "significant temporary deployment." Meanwhile, the main leader of the Syrian militants who overthrew Assad's regime stated on Wednesday, December 12, that all individuals involved in the torture and killing of detained protesters during Bashar al-Assad's rule will be prosecuted and will not receive amnesty. Ahmad al-Shar'aa, known as Abu Muhammad al-Julani, in a statement on the Telegram channel of Syrian state television, indicated that these individuals will be pursued in Syria and called on other countries to hand over fugitive officials to achieve justice. His reference was to Bashar al-Assad, who has been granted asylum by Russia. Muhammad al-Bashir, a man appointed by al-Julani's fighters to lead a transitional government until March 1, called on millions of Syrian refugees to return to their country and participate in the reconstruction process. In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, he stated that the country's treasury is empty and the government only has Syrian pounds, which have little value. Al-Bashir, who previously managed a small rebel-led government in northwestern Syria, said, "We have no foreign currency and are gathering data on loans and bonds. Financially, the situation is very bad." He also stated that the coalition of militants that overthrew Assad will guarantee the rights of all religious groups. The interim Prime Minister of Syria added that the new government, according to him, will guarantee the rights of all people and all sects in Syria "due to their belief in Islam." During the years of civil war in Syria, over 500,000 people were killed, about half of the country's population left their homes, and nearly six million fled to other countries. Officials from various countries speak cautiously about the former rebels, part of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda and recognized as a terrorist organization by the U.S., the UN, the EU, and other countries. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the new government must adhere to "clear commitments to fully respect minority rights, facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid to all in need, and prevent the use of Syria as a base for terrorism to threaten neighbors." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also emphasized the need for coordination among various Syrian leaders to ensure a peaceful transfer of power in the country.