Syrian Leader Al-Julani Demands Israeli Withdrawal from Golan Heights at UN

Muhammad al-Julani, the leader of Syria's new regime, used his address at the UN General Assembly to issue a series of accusations against Israel and demand the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Golan Heights. Al-Julani stated that Syria does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the territory and called for the IDF to retreat to positions held before December 8, 2024. He asserted that the Golan Heights will remain Syrian territory and that any annexation steps are invalid under UN Security Council Resolution 497. Al-Julani urged other nations to adopt Syria's position, which he considers consistent with international law, and declared that changes on the ground would not affect Syria's territorial claims.

Al-Julani also accused Israel of conducting approximately 500 airstrikes and artillery attacks, over 1,200 ground incursions, and nearly 300 detentions of Syrians within Syria. He claimed these actions threaten Syria's stability and regional security. Another demand was the return to the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement, which was established after the Yom Kippur War, requiring Israeli forces to withdraw to their pre-December 8, 2024, positions.

Following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Israel increased its military presence in the border area, citing the need to prevent threats near its border amidst the rapidly changing situation in Syria. Israel has controlled the Golan Heights since 1967, extending its laws, jurisdiction, and administration to the territory in 1981. The United States recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019.