Local Syrians Reclaim Land Amid Secret Real Estate Deals in Southern Syria

Following the collapse of the Assad regime and Israel's Arrow of the Beqaa operation, southern Syria and the Syrian Golan Heights have become hotspots for covert real estate transactions. While pro-Iranian media outlets spread false claims about massive foreign land acquisitions, investigations reveal a more complex reality: local residents, including many from the Druze community, are returning to reclaim their ancestral lands.

The Assad regime's fall triggered severe legal and economic instability, forcing many villagers in areas like Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Qatana to sell properties at a loss to raise funds or flee the country. Conversely, in towns and villages along the Golan foothills such as Hadar, Ein al-Tina, and al-Rima, a reverse trend has emerged, with locals buying land, partly due to the relative security provided by the Israeli military presence in the buffer zone.

Claims by resistance-aligned media, notably Lebanon's Al-Akhbar channel, alleging that Jewish businessmen with foreign passports are purchasing hundreds of thousands of dunams have been thoroughly debunked. Syrian law strictly prohibits selling agricultural land near borders to foreigners, and most contracts remain informal and legally unenforceable amid the collapse of government land registries.

This legal vacuum has left all parties uncertain about property rights, with no official authority able to confirm or enforce ownership. The strong ties between the Druze communities in Israel and Syria, highlighted by recent solidarity events in the Golan, also influence land transactions in the area. As Israeli forces continue operations in the buffer zone, the ongoing quiet battle over land control raises questions about the future governance and ownership once stability returns to southern Syria.