A Turkish writer has raised concerns over Israel’s efforts to establish a buffer zone in southern Syria, amidst reports of Israeli ground incursions into the Syrian countryside of Quneitra. This development coincides with Israel’s ongoing aggression against Lebanon.
Turkish columnist Abdulkadir Selvi, writing for the local newspaper Hürriyet on Wednesday, stated that “Israeli tanks entered the Syrian city of Quneitra a few days ago, yet the Syrian regime remained silent, behaving as if these tanks had entered the territory of another country.”
He added that “Israel is doing everything in its power to shift the circle of fire from Lebanon to Syria,” pointing to the recent airstrikes conducted by the Israeli occupation on several Syrian provinces, including the capital, Damascus.
Selvi noted that the occupation will not be satisfied with merely infiltrating Syrian territories. He remarked, “It is known that Israel seeks control over the area south of the Litani River in Lebanon, but the Syrian part of Israel’s plan remains unclear.”
Israel’s Ambitions for a Buffer Zone in Syria
According to Selvi, “Israel aims to create a buffer zone inside Syria by occupying the region stretching from the slopes of the Golan, including Quneitra and Daraa, all the way to the Suwayda province.” He pointed out that the occupation “is seeking to appoint a local figure to head the intended buffer zone.”
The Turkish writer warned that if such a “subordinate structure” to the occupation is established in southern Syria, one-third of Syrian lands will fall under the direct control of both “Israel” and the United States, which already has a base under its control in the Al-Tanf area, located at the junction of the Syrian borders with Jordan and Iraq.
In this context, Selvi expressed his astonishment at the silence of the Syrian regime’s President, Bashar al-Assad, regarding Israel’s continued incursions into southern Syria.
Assad’s Silence Amid Israeli Movements
He stated, “Assad, who refuses to accept President Erdoğan’s persistent offer for dialogue and demands the withdrawal of Turkish forces as a condition for responding to Turkey’s calls to normalize relations, remains silent about the buffer zones that the United States and Israel are planning to establish on Syrian soil.”
Meanwhile, Reuters reported, citing security sources and analysts, that Israeli forces have removed landmines and erected new barriers along the border between the occupied Golan Heights and the demilitarized strip on the Syrian border. This suggests that “Israel” might be expanding its ground operations against Hezbollah while strengthening its defenses.
Sources speaking to Reuters — including a Syrian soldier stationed in southern Syria, a Lebanese security official, and an official from the United Nations peacekeeping forces — revealed additional unpublished details, showing that “Israel” is shifting the separation fence within the demilitarized zone towards the Syrian side and is digging more fortifications in the area.
A soldier in the Syrian regime’s army said that “Israel appears to be working on creating a ‘buffer zone’ within the demilitarized area.” Meanwhile, a senior Lebanese security source told Reuters that Israeli forces dug a new trench near the demilitarized zone in October.
A Syrian military intelligence officer disclosed that “the Syrian army has not deployed additional forces,” explaining that on Tuesday morning, the Syrian regime’s army commanders ordered Syrian paramilitary groups to withdraw from the southern Quneitra area in the Golan within 24 hours, according to Reuters.
