Story perspectives

Israel Rejects Withdrawal From Seized Syria Areas

By Drooid · Oct 20, 2026, 8:00 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Israel Rejects Withdrawal

Israel says it will not withdraw from areas seized after Dec 8 2024, including Mount Hermon.
Syria condemns Israel’s escalating incursions into Quneitra and Daraa provinces.
The Sijil Center documented 280 Israeli violations of the 1974 disengagement agreement in September.
UNDOF peacekeepers report Israeli roadblocks sometimes restrict their patrols in the demilitarized zone.
At least 51 Syrians remain detained in Israeli facilities such as Sde Teiman, Ofer, al-Jalama and Megiddo.

Summary

UN Extends UNDOF Mandate

UN Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix pledged to improve coordination with UNDOF to record Israeli breaches of the 1974 agreement.
A UN report dated September 23 listed eleven Israeli positions on the Syrian side of the separation zone.
The UN Security Council extended UNDOF’s mandate through December 31, 2026, reaffirming its cease-fire role.
Director Rawad Ghanem reported bulldozing of agricultural land and damage to village infrastructure.

History

Historical Context

The 1973 Yom Kippur War began on 6 October 1973, prompting the 31 May 1974 Israel-Syria disengagement agreement that created the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). UNDOF’s 1,200 troops patrol a 384-km buffer along the Purple Line in the Golan, and UN Secretary-General coordination by Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Rawad Ghanem now seeks to curb renewed roadblocks and detentions.

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Israel Rejects Withdrawal

Israel says it will not withdraw from areas seized after Dec 8 2024, including Mount Hermon.
Syria condemns Israel’s escalating incursions into Quneitra and Daraa provinces.
The Sijil Center documented 280 Israeli violations of the 1974 disengagement agreement in September.
UNDOF peacekeepers report Israeli roadblocks sometimes restrict their patrols in the demilitarized zone.
At least 51 Syrians remain detained in Israeli facilities such as Sde Teiman, Ofer, al-Jalama and Megiddo.

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