UN Chief Calls for End to Israeli Violations of Syria Withdrawal Agreement

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stated on Sunday that Israel’s violations of the troop withdrawal agreement in Syria are “unacceptable and must cease.” He also called for complete respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Guterres emphasized on X (formerly Twitter), “The sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria must be fully respected.” He further added, “Violations of the troop withdrawal agreement in Syria by Israel are unacceptable and must cease.” These remarks were made during Guterres’ visit to Damascus, marking the first visit by a UN Secretary-General to Syria since Ban Ki-moon’s trip in 2009.

His itinerary includes a visit to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which has been stationed in the buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights since its establishment by the UN Security Council under resolution 350 in 1974 to monitor the ceasefire between Syria and Israel. The visit also occurs amid rising tensions in southern Syria, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration on December 8, 2024, that the 1974 disengagement agreement had collapsed. Israeli forces subsequently deployed into the buffer zone in Syria, prompting repeated calls from the UN for Israel to adhere to the agreement and respect Syrian sovereignty.