Father of Syrian President Warns Israel Not to Test Syrian Patience Over Golan Heights

Dr. Hussein al-Sharaa, father of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, issued a stern warning to Israel following an airstrike attributed to Israel at Abu al-Duhur airport in Syria. In a Facebook post, he described Israel as Syria's "central problem" and threatened that the Golan Heights would eventually be returned to Damascus. Despite being in his 80s and holding no official political position, Hussein al-Sharaa's remarks have gained significant attention across Arab media and social networks.

Al-Sharaa, once aligned with the Nasserist movement and exiled after the Baath party coup, previously supported the overthrow of the Assad regime and his son's revolution, though he criticized some economic policies of the new government. He accused Israel of conducting around 1,000 airstrikes against Syrian military sites since the revolution's success, violating the 1974 ceasefire lines by advancing into areas like Mount Hermon and Syrian villages, causing civilian harm.

He claimed Israel aims to destabilize Syria and that Damascus has shown restraint in response due to international considerations. However, al-Sharaa warned that Syrian fighters would no longer tolerate this behavior and could mobilize forces rapidly. He emphasized that the Syrian people would reclaim the "occupied land" of the Golan Heights sooner or later and concluded with a direct threat: "Do not test our patience."