Qatar's Prime Minister Calls for Immediate Withdrawal of Israeli Forces from Syria's Buffer Zone

Qatar's Prime Minister Calls for Immediate Withdrawal of Israeli Forces from Syria's Buffer Zone

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has called for the "immediate withdrawal" of Israeli forces from the United Nations-designated buffer zone along the Syrian border. He emphasized the need to apply intense pressure on Israel to withdraw its troops from this area after Israel’s forces entered the region near Syria’s Golan Heights.

Speaking at a press conference in Damascus on Thursday alongside Syria's de facto ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa, Sheikh Mohammed said, "The Israeli occupation of the buffer zone is a reckless act, and it must immediately withdraw."

Last month, Israel deployed its military units in the buffer zone near the Golan Heights in southern Syria after the ousting of Syria's longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, with the area falling under the control of opposition forces. A demilitarized zone had been established in this area as part of a 1974 UN-brokered ceasefire agreement.

Israel's forces have taken control of the zone and launched hundreds of airstrikes across Syria, which they claim are aimed at preventing weapons from falling into the hands of "extremists"—a term Israel has used for several groups in Syria, including the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group.

At the press conference, Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa said his country is ready to welcome UN peacekeeping forces into the buffer zone. He also stated, "Israel’s advance in the region was due to the presence of Iranian militias and Hezbollah. After the liberation of Damascus, I believe they no longer have any presence. The pretexts Israel is using today to advance into Syrian regions and the buffer zone are unfounded."

Sheikh Mohammed further commented on Qatar’s role, stating, “Qatar certainly has a big role to play. It will play an active role in continuing to apply pressure on Israel, along with Western, European countries, and the United States.”

The Prime Minister also promised Qatar's support for Syria’s reconstruction and infrastructure recovery, which has been devastated by nearly 14 years of war. He said, "We will provide the necessary technical support to make the infrastructure operational again and assist the electricity sector. Qatar extends its hand to our Syrian brothers for future partnerships."

Sheikh Mohammed also called for the lifting of sanctions on Syria, highlighting that these sanctions negatively impact the aid provided to Syria and its people. The US and the European Union imposed sanctions on Bashar al-Assad and his government for alleged human rights violations during the Syrian civil war. However, this month, the US Department of the Treasury granted limited licenses for certain transactions with the Syrian government, allowing some energy sales and humanitarian activities to proceed without violating sanctions.