Syria’s New Rulers Call for UN Peacekeepers Along Syria-Israel Border

Latest Developments

• Al-Sharaa Says IDF Presence on Border No Longer Needed: Syria’s de-facto leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, said on January 16 that the new government would welcome UN peacekeepers in the UN-established buffer zone with Israel. During the same press conference — where he spoke alongside Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani — al-Sharaa criticized Israel’s continued presence in Syria’s buffer zone on the Israeli border, saying that while the IDF’s “advance in the region was due to the presence of Iranian militias and Hezbollah,” those forces no longer have a presence in the region after his rebel forces captured Damascus and deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on December 8. UN forces, such as UNIFIL in Lebanon, have proven ineffective in preventing terrorists from establishing a presence in areas under their control.
• Preventing Terrorists From Threatening Israel’s Border: On December 8, shortly after al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Sunni Islamist rebel group took control of the country, Israeli troops deployed into the 155-square-mile demilitarized zone established after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which had been patrolled by a UN peacekeeping force comprising approximately 1,100 troops. The IDF said its entry into the buffer zone was a temporary defensive measure and that its goal was to prevent terrorists from taking advantage of Syria’s instability to establish a presence in the region and threaten Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in December that IDF troops would remain there until a new arrangement is established to ensure Israel’s security.
• Thousands of Weapons Captured by IDF Forces: On January 15, the IDF said that it conducted a drone strike near the buffer zone, near the southern city of Quneitra, on a convoy of vehicles carrying weapons. Syrian media reported that three people were killed in the strike, including two HTS officers and the mayor of the village of Ghadeer al-Bustan. The IDF also announced it had captured 3,300 weapons since the start of its operation in southern Syria, including two tanks, 70 grenades, 165 shells and rockets, 20 anti-aircraft missiles, and approximately 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades.

FDD Expert Response

“Contrary to al-Sharaa’s assertions, it is the IDF that ultimately decides what constitutes a threat along its borders. Furthermore, HTS and its allies have demonstrated they are a threat to Israel due to their jihadist activities. Al-Sharaa and his government must take substantial action to prove that Syria has reformed and is no longer a threat to Israel if it wishes to see a change in the Jewish state’s military posture.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

“Al-Sharaa’s words when discussing Israel are calculated, but actions should speak louder than words. Southern Syria remains unstable and could descend into chaos at any moment. So far, we have only seen the IDF seize weapons in the area. If al-Sharaa wants to prove he can ease Israel’s concerns, he must demonstrate his ability and willingness to prevent terrorists from exploiting the instability in that area.” —Ahmad Sharawi, Research Analyst

FDD Background and Analysis

“Syria’s Rebel Leader Is No Moderate,” by David Adesnik and Bill Roggio

“‘We’ll Strike Without Hesitation’: Israel Warns Syria Factions Over Arms Smuggling,” FDD Flash Brief

“The ‘Eyes of the State of Israel’: IDF Ready For Prolonged Stay on Mount Hermon,” FDD Flash Brief