Syria

Israeli Forces Fire on Syrian Protesters

DEC 20 2024·Updated DEC 21 2024

Story

Above: An Israeli army tank takes position in the Syrian town of Madinat al-Baath, in the UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on Dec. 20, 2024. Image credit: Aris Messinis/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images

The Facts

Israeli forces fired on protesters in southern Syria on Friday, wounding one. The protest was reportedly in response to Israeli soldiers who seized a Syrian army base preventing local farmers from accessing their fields.
Timesofisrael
The Israeli military confirmed the incident, saying that soldiers called on protesters to move back and "identified a threat that required action to remove," without elaborating.
Timesofisrael
Anadolu reported that Israeli forces captured the Syrian villages of Jamleh and Maaraba in the Daraa Governorate's Yarmouk Basin earlier on Friday. The protesters called for Israel to withdraw from Syria.
AA
Israel launched an offensive into Syria immediately after anti-government forces captured Damascus earlier this month, seizing additional territory near the Golan Heights and bombing the country's military infrastructure. Israel said it will hold on to Syrian territory until "another arrangement is found."
The New York Times
Earlier this week, residents of southern Syria said that civilians had been forcefully displaced from several villages, though some were later allowed to return. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has justified Israel's offensive in Syria by saying that it ensures the country's security.
ap
Meanwhile, US officials traveled to Damascus on Friday to meet with activists, members of different communities, and the country's new transitional leadership — including officials from Hya'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is designated as a terrorist group by the US. One official said the US will not pursue the bounty on HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Al Jazeera
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The Washington Institute

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The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Israel has assured the US that its recent moves in the Golan Heights will be temporary, as Israel is responding to legitimate security concerns in Syria. Neither Israel nor the US want to see Assad's strategic weapons fall into the hands of extremists, and Israel's actions will help ensure stability and security for everyone in the region.

The White House

Pro-Israel narrative

Israel has no desire to cause harm to those living in southern Syria, but it will ensure the security of its forces. Israeli soldiers followed procedures and dispersed protesters without killing anyone. Syrian civilians should understand that Israel does not want further conflict with them.

The Jerusalem Post

Pro-Palestine narrative

Syrians, like Palestinians, are demanding that Israel end its occupation of their land. Israel, which is occupying Palestinian, Lebanese, and Syrian land, is clearly the aggressor in this situation, yet tries to play the victim. Syrians will never accept Israel's aggressive posture toward their country.