UN Human Rights Office Criticizes Israeli Military Actions in Syria

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed dissatisfaction with the actions of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Syria, alleging that the military restricts civilian movement, harasses and intimidates civilians, and conducts arbitrary detentions. According to the UN report, 49 Syrians are currently held in Israeli custody, with allegations of mistreatment including beatings, setting dogs on detainees, and threats against them and their families.

The report cites two specific incidents. One involves the death of a 22-year-old resident of Jaba, who was killed by Israeli forces near El-Hamidiya. The UN claims the individual was walking at night in unfamiliar terrain and unaware of the military positions, with no reports of warning shots. The IDF's account differs, stating soldiers fired on a suspicious individual approaching a fence and embankment at a post near al-Hamidiya, after the person ignored verbal warnings. The IDF identified the deceased as a 22-year-old Palestinian Arab from Damascus, carrying only a phone and money, and noted the potential threat of suicide bombers.

Another incident described by the UN concerns a disabled farmer in Jubbata al-Hashab who was allegedly shot in the leg and temporarily detained during an Israeli military operation. The UN states the farmer was wounded while trying to leave the area and was released bleeding after 90 minutes. No such incident was mentioned by Israeli authorities.

The UN High Commissioner called for a prompt and impartial investigation into the incidents, emphasizing that lethal force should only be used when absolutely necessary for self-defense outside of active combat. The UN urged Israeli authorities to cease actions that persecute and intimidate Syrian villagers, including raids, movement restrictions, detentions, and crop destruction. The report notes that the UN statement omits context, such as the purpose of Israeli troops in the Syrian buffer zone, the general situation in the Syrian Golan Heights, and the threat posed by Islamic radicals to the Druze population. It also questions why the 22-year-old was in an unfamiliar area near a military outpost at night and did not respond to warnings.