Local Syrians Reclaim Land Amid Secret Real Estate Battle 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 of massive foreign land acquisitions, investigations reveal a more complex reality: local residents, including many from the Druze community, are returning to reclaim lands amid the power vacuum.

The Assad regime's fall triggered severe legal and economic instability, forcing many villagers in established towns like Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Qatana to sell properties at steep losses to raise cash or flee the country. Conversely, in villages along the Golan foothills such as Hadar, Ein al-Tina, and al-Rima, a surprising trend of local buyers has emerged, partly due to relative security provided by the Israeli military presence in the buffer zone.

Pro-resistance media, notably Lebanon's Al-Akhbar channel, have falsely reported that Jewish businessmen with foreign passports are purchasing hundreds of thousands of dunams. These claims have been thoroughly debunked by local investigations. Syrian law strictly prohibits foreign ownership of agricultural land near borders, and most sales contracts lack legal validity due to the collapse of land registry institutions.

The absence of effective governance has left all transactions legally uncertain, with no authority to confirm or enforce property rights. Strong ties between the Druze communities in Syria and Israel, highlighted by recent solidarity events, influence the dynamics of land acquisition in the region. As Israeli forces continue operations in the buffer zone, the ongoing quiet struggle over land ownership raises questions about who will ultimately control southern Syria’s lands once stability returns.