Qatar demands Israel withdraw ‘immediately’ from Syria buffer zone

Syria’s new leader Ahmed Al Shara says he would welcome stationing of UN troops in the zone

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani is received by Syria's de facto leader Ahmed Al Shara in Damascus on Thursday. AFP

Qatar's Prime Minister has demanded that Israel “immediately withdraw” its troops from a buffer zone with Syria. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani spoke as he visited Damascus for the first time since the fall of the Assad regime last month.

Israeli troops have been stationed in the zone, which sits between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, for more than a month after forces led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham took over the country in December.

“The Israeli occupation's seizure of the buffer zone is a reckless act and it must immediately withdraw,” Sheikh Mohammed said at a press conference with Syrian leader Ahmed Al Shara.

Mr Al Shara said he would welcome the stationing of UN forces in the buffer zone, which was created in 1974 as part of a disengagement agreement between the two nations.

“Israel's advance in the region was due to the presence of Iranian militias and Hezbollah. After the liberation of Damascus, I believe that they have no presence at all. There are pretexts that Israel is using today to advance into the Syrian regions, into the buffer zone,” he said.

Tension could rise in the disputed border region after an Israeli air attack killed two members of HTS on Wednesday when their patrol came close to Israeli forces in the occupied Golan Heights.

The Qatari Prime Minister promised on Thursday to support the rehabilitation of Syria's infrastructure, devastated by nearly 14 years of civil war. Sheikh Mohammed also promised to assist Syria in the mammoth reconstruction of in infrastructure, ruined by over a decade of fighting since Syria's popular revolt in 2011 and years of underinvestment.

“We will provide the necessary technical support to make the infrastructure operational again and provide support to the electricity sector,” said Sheikh Mohammed said, adding that Qatar “extends its hand to our Syrian brothers for future partnerships”.

The meeting between the two leaders came after Saudi Arabia hosted an international meeting on Syria this week, in which western and Arab countries praised “positive steps” taken by the new administration to preserve state institutions and consult with other countries to counter terrorism and start an inclusive political transition.

Last week, Foreign Minister Assaad Al Shibani, a close ally of Mr Al Shara, made his first trip abroad as representative of the new Syrian administration, visiting Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan.

International powers have been scrambling to formulate new policies on Syria since the HTS chief became the country’s de facto leader, replacing the ousted former president Bashar Al Assad.

He has avoided confrontation with Israel and has concentrated on internal affairs and securing outside support for the country’s recovery, even meeting several times with Western, Arab as well as Turkish officials.

“It is crucial that all countries that have been involved in Syria since the [civil] war adopt more or less the same approach towards Syria and insist on a transition,” a European official who recently met with Mr Al Shara told The National.