The UN has raised alarm over ongoing Israeli violations in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, warning of intensified settlement activity, land confiscation, and demographic changes in the region. According to a report presented by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the Human Rights Council, Israel has ignored international resolutions, including UN Resolution 55/31 and Security Council Resolution 497, which declare its imposition of laws in the Golan null and void.
UN Report: Violations in the Golan Heights
Among the concerns outlined in the report is the construction of a wind turbine project covering 6,000 dunams, despite local opposition. The project threatens agriculture, displaces residents, and exacerbates existing housing restrictions, particularly in the town of Majdal Shams. The report further accuses Israel of attempting to impose citizenship on Syrian residents, restricting education, and enforcing an unfair healthcare system that imposes high costs on Syrian communities.
Syria’s representative to the Human Rights Council denounced these policies as systematic discrimination and illegal exploitation of natural resources. The Arab Group at the UN Security Council echoed these concerns, calling on the international community to intervene and halt Israeli actions. Jordan’s Ambassador to the UN, Mahmoud Al-Hamoud, stressed that Israel’s continued occupation of Syrian territory violates international law and the 1974 Armistice Agreement.
Israeli Attacks & Occupation Unabated
Tensions have escalated in recent weeks with an increase in Israeli military operations inside Syria. The Syrian government and local sources reported multiple Israeli airstrikes targeting various locations, including Damascus, Homs, and Daraa.
On Saturday evening, aircraft suspected to be Israeli struck the town of Najha in the Damascus countryside, targeting military installations. Tel Aviv denied involvement in the attack, according to Israeli Army Radio. A day earlier, Israeli jets carried out strikes on the Palmyra region in eastern Homs, hitting the T4 military airport, a control tower, and a weapons depot. Two Syrian Ministry of Defense personnel were reportedly injured. Israel later confirmed the strikes but described them as targeting “strategic military capabilities.”
The southern region has also seen an increase in Israeli incursions. In the Yarmouk Basin of western Daraa, Israeli forces launched artillery shelling on civilian roads before conducting house searches. Reports indicate that reconnaissance aircraft flew over Daraa and Quneitra for extended periods, raising fears of further operations.
International Calls for Accountability
The Arab League and several Middle Eastern nations have strongly condemned Israel’s recent actions. Kuwait, the UAE, and Egypt denounced the bombing of Daraa, which resulted in 22 civilian casualties. In response, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa called for Arab nations to unite against Israeli military operations and reaffirmed Syria’s commitment to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
The ongoing Israeli attacks have been attributed to efforts to weaken Syrian military infrastructure following the fall of the Assad regime. Israel has expanded military bases along the Mount Hermon–Yarmouk Basin axis, equipping them with infrastructure and roads leading to the Syrian border.
As the situation escalates, international bodies continue to call for a halt to Israeli military activities, settlement expansion, and human rights violations in Syria. However, with little enforcement of UN resolutions, the conflict shows no signs of de-escalation.
