New Israel invasion into Quneitra, Syria

An Israeli occupation army patrol advanced into the village of Ofanya, north of Quneitra, southern Syria, on Friday morning to collect information about the population and services in the village.

A source from the village confirmed to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the Israeli occupation forces have been carrying out extensive population and service surveys in the villages into which they recently advanced.

This has raised activists’ fears of plans to enforce “economic settlement” and impose a new demographic reality amid the absence of any effective governmental or international response.

Activist Saeed Al-Muhammad told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed: “The Israeli teams surveyed people’s opinions about the medical and educational situation of the population, in addition to their professions.”

However, he did not confirm what has been circulated regarding the idea of ​​a daily labour programme, which allows Syrians to work inside the occupied territories for $100 a day, guaranteeing their return to their homes in the evening.

Al-Muhammad believes this measure’s goal is not to provide job opportunities but rather to: “Create economic dependency that facilitates the passage of demographic hybridisation projects.”

Al-Muhammad added that the Israeli advancement into Quneitra violates Security Council Resolution 497, which confirms that the Golan is an occupied Syrian territory.

He called for Arab and international action to force Israel to withdraw unconditionally, impose sanctions on repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty and condemn the population survey: “As a tool to draw the population towards economic normalisation, and in preparation for systematic displacement.”

Al-Muhammad also demanded: “Protecting civilians from the occupation’s exploitation of their difficult living conditions, through false work programmes that threaten their national identity.”

Al-Muhammad urged documenting the violations in international reports to submit them to the International Criminal Court, especially given the escalation of attacks on medical staff. The activist warned against the consequences of “attractive wages”, noting that this is a trap for young people living below the poverty line, as labour is used as a tool of espionage to infiltrate society and weaken any potential resistance.

Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC revealed that the Israeli occupation army had built seven military sites in the area extending between Mount Hermon in the north and Tel Kodna in the south, near the Syrian-Jordanian border triangle.

Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported that these sites include residential buildings for soldiers, medical clinics and logistical facilities, in a move that indicates the occupation’s intention to remain for an extended period of time.

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