Foreign Affairs Forum

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UN envoy warns Israeli attacks and other key players in Syria are destabilising

Introduction

The envoy's remarks come in the context of an escalation in Israeli airstrikes and ground incursions into Syrian territory, which include the following:

Over 300 airstrikes targeting research centers, arms depots, and military infrastructure throughout Syria

The destruction of Syria’s Mediterranean naval fleet

The incursion of Israeli forces into the United Nations-patrolled buffer zone along the Golan Heights. Israeli has a substantial civilian living in mount herman, which is against international UN mandate.

Syria , Bashir ( PM ) has asked UN and rest to intervene and ask bombing be stopped and Israel to remove ground forces. Israel has made it clear it won’t withdraw, like they did in Palestine.

Israel justification

While Israel contends that these operations are intended to prevent the acquisition of Assad's weapons by extremist factions, critics assert that such actions exploit the prevailing chaos in Syria and constitute a violation of international law. Several nations, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, have condemned Israel’s activities as destabilizing and as infringements upon Syria’s sovereignty.

Facts

Additionally, it has been noted that Hamas and Hezbollah are not currently present in Syria, raising questions regarding the justification for the presence of Israeli forces.

There are significant long-term concerns regarding the relationship between Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa and President Erdogan, with ambiguity surrounding Turkey's potential role in a new Syrian political landscape, beyond the provision of military support.

Turkey and Israel conflict

Turkey's ongoing tensions with Israel are particularly concerning, as Turkish officials have expressed their readiness to confront Israel if necessary.

Furthermore, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has indicated that there would be repercussions should Israel breach established boundaries, which, they assert, have already been transgressed.

EU and US efforts

While the European Union is positioning itself to support Syria, the United States has not taken any active measures, aside from facilitating a lapsed ceasefire agreement for Manbij between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Turkey-backed rebel factions.

There remains uncertainty regarding the extent of U.S. support for the SDF moving forward.

ISIS and Israel

There exists a substantial risk of a resurgence of ISIS and potentially a hostile takeover in Iraq.

Reports suggest that Israel may be inclined to support ISIS as a means to further destabilize Kurds, Syria and Iraq.

Iran and HTS

On other hand, Iran is trying to establish contact with HTS and waiting for summit to be held in Egypt to bring up regional political issues.

There seems to be too many conflicting personal interest of nations in and around Syria.

Conclusion

The situation remains tense as the international community calls for stability.

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has issued a cautionary statement regarding the Israeli military operations within Syrian territory, asserting that such actions are contributing to the destabilization of the country and impeding its recovery efforts subsequent to the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Numerous additional concerns are emerging from various stakeholders.

Pedersen has specifically highlighted the ongoing Israeli military movements and bombardments in Syria, stating unequivocally, “This needs to stop.”

He underscored that these military actions are obstructing Syria’s progress as it endeavors to transition away from decades of Assad's rule.