Arab Nations Challenge Israel Over Sufa 53 Line Expansion in Syria
Qatar, Jordan and Kuwait have condemned Israel’s completion of work on the so-called “Sufa 53 Line” in Syria’s Quneitra province, saying the project violates Syrian sovereignty, international law and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
On Sunday, the statements came as Israeli forces reportedly carried out further land-clearing and excavation work in southern Quneitra, where work on the Sufa 53 Line has drawn criticism from Arab states.
According to Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, this project is a blatant violation of international principles, and it also urged the international community to force Israel to comply with UN resolutions and prevent further escalation of tensions in the region.
Ambassador Fuad Al-Majali of Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said Israel’s actions were in violation of the UN Charter and the 1974 agreement. Jordan urged international bodies to take action to end the occupation of Syrian territory and protect Syria’s sovereignty and stability.
Earthworks Reported In Southern Quneitra
According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, Israeli forces carried out extensive land-clearing operations near Sl-Asha village in southern Quneitra on Sunday.
SANA reported that more than seven bulldozers and military vehicles moved southwest of Al-Rafid, where Israeli forces were digging a deep trench. When the reporters and media personnel were trying to document the earthwork, Israeli forces deployed spy drones in the area.
According to SANA and Anadolu Agency, the project was initially launched in mid-2022 and referred to as the “Great Storm” or “Sofa 53” near Haider in northern Quneitra and extends to other areas including Jabata al-Khashab, al-Hamidiyah, al-Qahtaniyah, Ruweihina, Bir Ajam and Bariqa.
Residents reported to Anadolu that with the project’s expansion, it had made thousands of dunams of agricultural land in rural Quneitra unsuitable for farming and grazing, disrupting water flows and altering the area’s natural landscape.
Syria Seeks International Action Over Israeli Activity
Syria’s Foreign Ministry condemned the work on the “Suf53″ project and said, “The continuation of the Israeli occupation’s aggressive approach, accompanied by attacks and incursions on the ground, poses a direct threat to regional security and stability and undermines international law,”
It urged the international community to take measures to stop such actions and prevent them from continuing.
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