Israel Accused of Sparking Fires on Syrian Farmland Near Golan Heights
Syrian state media has accused Israeli forces of intentionally setting fire to farmland in the Quneitra countryside, near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights — a move officials claim breaches the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
According to Alikhbaria Syria, Israeli troops ignited blazes across dozens of dunams (1 dunam = 1,000 m²) of agricultural land near the separation fence west of the town of Al Rafid. UN personnel were reportedly on-site trying to contain the fires with limited equipment.
No further details were provided by the broadcaster.
Earlier, Deputy Governor of Quneitra Muhammad al Saeed told Anadolu Agency that Israel has constructed more than eight military bases in northern Quneitra — including in the Yarmouk Basin — since the fall of Syrian President Bashar al Assad in late 2024. He called the construction a “clear violation” of the disengagement accord.
Al Saeed also said Israel’s military presence in the buffer zone has cut off access to over 6,000 hectares of farmland and pastures, depriving hundreds of Syrian families of their main sources of livelihood.
Israel captured most of the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and later annexed the region — a move not internationally recognised.
Since the formation of Syria’s transitional government under Ahmad al Sharaa in January, Israel has reportedly escalated its attacks on Syrian territory, including deadly air strikes and expanded military deployments within UN-monitored zones.
