Turning the tide: Syrians rising up against Israeli occupation 

TEHRAN- Anger is growing in Syria over Israel’s acts of aggression and military presence in the Arab country. 

Since rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) toppled the government of president Bashar Assad earlier this month, the Israeli army has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria destroying much of the country’s military capabilities. The regime claims it wants to prevent military equipment from falling into hostile hands.

Israel also sent its ground forces into a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights and beyond after Assad’s fall on December 8.

Israel has extended its occupation to further regions of the Syrian territory, encompassing various towns, villages, and the strategically significant Mount Hermon. 

Israel claims the occupation of additional parts of the Syrian territory is aimed at ensuring the security of the regime’s borders.  

Israel’s land incursion into Syria violates the 1974 agreement between the two sides. The United Nations and a number of countries have demanded Israel withdraw from the region. 

Syrians have also condemned Israel’s presence on the country’s territory. 

On Wednesday, residents of a village in the southwestern province of Quneitra protested against Israel’s military presence there. 

Israeli forces opened fire on the demonstrators in the village of Susa, injuring several of them. 

A week ago, Israeli forces also attacked protesters who had gathered in the village of Maariyah on the western edge of Syria’s southern Daraa province to demand an end to the regime’s military presence in the area. They shot and wounded a protester. 

The residents of Maariyah told the Associated Press that Israeli forces have set up a position in an abandoned Syrian army base in the village and prevented local farmers from accessing their fields. 

“They prevented us from farming. They prevented us from moving. We call on the United Nations to remove the occupation as soon as possible,” one of the residents said.

Syria’s transitional government and HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, have called for Israel’s pullout from Syria. But they have not taken any effective measures to end Israel’s aggression and occupation. 

Al-Sharaa has said Syria’s new rulers do not want a conflict with Israel. This is a position that has been echoed by Israel. 

Formerly known as Nusra Front, the HTS is an offshoot of Al-Qaeda and ISIL which has rebranded itself to alter public perception regarding its past violent actions. 

During Syria’s civil war which erupted after the 2011 Arab Spring, Al-Qaeda and ISIL members fought against the Assad government. According to American and Israeli media, the Israeli army provided treatment to those terrorists who were wounded in fighting with the Syrian armed forces. 

These terrorists did not pose a threat to Israel during years of fighting in Syria. Al-Sharaa’s refusal to take any action against Israel’s aggression is in line with this approach. 

Syria’s current leadership may choose to overlook Israel’s occupation of the country’s territory. However, the Syrian people, who endure the consequences of this occupation, will not remain silent.

Resentment against the presence of Israeli troops in Syria will continue to build up. A permanent state of Israeli occupation will motivate Syrians to rise up and turn the occupied areas and beyond into resistance fronts against the apartheid regime.