UN Chief Calls for End to Israeli Violations of Syria Disengagement Agreement
DAMASCUS, July 26: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on Israel to immediately cease violations of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement with Syria, stressing that the country’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity must be fully respected.
During his visit to Damascus on Sunday, Guterres described breaches of the decades-old ceasefire arrangement as “unacceptable” and urged all parties to uphold international commitments aimed at preserving stability along the Syrian-Israeli border.
In a statement shared on social media platform X, the UN chief reaffirmed that Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity are fundamental principles that must be protected. He also reiterated that any violations of the 1974 agreement should come to an immediate end.
The visit marks Guterres’ first official trip to Syria and the first by a UN secretary-general since Ban Ki-moon visited Damascus in 2009. It comes as Syria continues its political transition following the collapse of former President Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024.
As part of his visit, Guterres is scheduled to meet personnel serving with the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which has monitored the ceasefire in the buffer zone of the occupied Golan Heights since its establishment under UN Security Council Resolution 350 in 1974.
Regional tensions have remained elevated since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the disengagement agreement effectively void following the fall of the Assad government. Israeli forces subsequently entered the buffer zone, prompting repeated calls from the United Nations for Israel to comply with the agreement and respect Syria’s internationally recognised sovereignty.
The secretary-general’s remarks underscore growing international concern over the security situation in southern Syria and the importance of preserving diplomatic agreements designed to prevent renewed conflict in the region.
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