DAMASCUS – Ahmed al-Shara, leader of the Islamist-led Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels who recently seized power in Damascus, condemned Israel on December 14 for its incursion into southern Syria but ruled out fresh conflict, citing the nation’s exhaustion after years of war.
The incursion saw Israeli forces enter the UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights, an area governed by the 1974 armistice agreement. The United Nations described the action as a violation of the agreement.
“The Israelis have clearly crossed the disengagement line in Syria, which threatens a new unjustified escalation in the region,” Al-Shara stated on the HTS Telegram channel. However, he added, “The general exhaustion in Syria after years of war and conflict does not allow us to enter new conflicts.”
Israel Defends Actions as Preemptive
Israel, which has occupied most of the Golan Heights since 1974, said the move was in self-defence due to the political uncertainty following the December 8 overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad by HTS forces.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has intensified air strikes in Syria since the regime’s collapse, reportedly targeting military sites and infrastructure. Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that the strikes aim to eliminate “strategic capabilities that threaten the State of Israel.”
Tensions in the region remain high, with observers wary of further escalation despite Syria’s war-weary stance.