Syrian President Urges Immediate Israeli Withdrawal from Southern Syria

Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara called for the international community to pressure Israel to withdraw its troops from southern Syria during the Arab League summit. He condemned Israel’s military actions as violations of Syrian sovereignty and a threat to regional peace. The UN envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, expressed similar concerns regarding Israel’s actions and the need for respect of international agreements.

During an emergency Arab League summit in Cairo, Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara urged the international community to exert pressure on Israel for an immediate withdrawal of its troops from southern Syria. He emphasized the importance of upholding Syria’s rights and condemned Israel’s military presence, which he described as a breach of Syrian sovereignty and a direct threat to regional security.

Mr. Al Shara attended this summit to discuss governance and reconstruction plans for Gaza, following the recent regime change after rebels ousted former President Bashar Al Assad. He pointed out that Israel’s military actions, including air strikes against alleged weapons storage sites, have intensified since the rebels seized power in December.

He stated, “Since its occupation of the Syrian Golan in 1967, Israel has not ceased its violations of our people’s rights,” reinforcing Syria’s commitment to the 1974 disengagement agreement. Al Shara added that Israel’s continued actions are intolerable and termed them as efforts to redraw geographical maps at the cost of Palestinian lives.

Furthermore, the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, echoed Al Shara’s concerns, expressing his distress over Israel’s violations of the ceasefire agreement established in 1974. Mr. Pedersen remarked that such acts threaten to destabilize an already fragile situation in the region and urged Israel to respect international obligations and refrain from actions that might exacerbate conflict.

In light of these developments, Mr. Al Shara emphasized the need for Arab unity against international schemes that undermine Palestinian rights, reaffirming Syria’s position within the Arab League as essential for strengthening regional solidarity.

In conclusion, President Ahmad Al Shara’s call for an immediate Israeli withdrawal from southern Syria highlights ongoing tensions in the region. His remarks during the Arab League summit emphasize the need for international support for Syrian sovereignty, as well as unity among Arab nations regarding Palestinian rights. The condemnation of Israel’s military actions by both Al Shara and UN envoy Geir Pedersen underscores a collective urgency to address violations of established agreements and pursue a peaceful resolution.

Original Source: www.thenationalnews.com