Israel gives the Syrian authorities two weeks to withdraw its forces from Dara’a
Western diplomatic sources revealed that Israel has issued an official warning to the Syrian authorities, urging them to withdraw their public security forces and weapons from Dara’a Governorate within two weeks, otherwise the Israeli army will destroy these forces itself.
This warning comes after meetings held in the French capital, Paris, between high-ranking officials from both sides, including Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al Shaibani and his Israeli counterpart for strategic affairs, Ron Dermer.
The Israeli move aims to expand the weapon-free buffer zones in southern Syria, a project previously announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Disputes over the western Damascus countryside: Information indicates that during the talks, Israel demanded the evacuation of areas in the western Damascus countryside, such as Sahnaya and Jaramana, which have a Druze majority, and to allow Druze forces loyal to Sheikh Hikmat al Hijri to enter them to provide protection, a request Damascus categorically rejected.
Israel is seeking to exploit the security vacuum resulting from the internal Syrian conflict to impose a new reality on the ground, especially in areas with a mixed Druze and Kurdish population, which portends a new military escalation unless a political understanding is reached between the two parties.
Dara’a governorate has been witnessing a state of security instability for years, which has been further complicated by recent Israeli incursions, with the Israeli army controlling areas within the governorate and turning them into military zones closed to civilians.
