According to the United Nations News website on December 12, UN Secretary-General Guterres called on the Israeli army to withdraw from the buffer zone in the Golan Heights for the following reasons:

Maintaining Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity: Israel has recently launched hundreds of air strikes on targets in Syria, seriously violating Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The UN Secretary-General expressed deep concern and called on the Israeli army to withdraw from the buffer zone in the Golan Heights to stop its aggression against Syria.

Comply with the Disengagement of Forces Agreement: The Disengagement of Forces Agreement signed in 1974 remains in force, which aims to ensure a ceasefire and stability between Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights. Guterres condemned all violations of the agreement and called on all parties to the agreement to fulfill their obligations, including ending all unauthorized presence in the separation zone and refraining from any actions that undermine the ceasefire and stability in the Golan Heights.

Ease regional violent conflicts: The current situation in Syria is turbulent, and there is an urgent need to ease violent conflicts on all fronts throughout the country. The withdrawal of Israeli troops from the buffer zone in the Golan Heights will help reduce regional tensions and create conditions for peace and stability.

Supporting Syria’s transitional arrangements: Guterres stressed that while maintaining public order in Syria, it is imperative to support Syria’s credible, orderly and inclusive transitional arrangements. The withdrawal of Israeli troops will help provide a favorable external environment for Syria’s political transition and reconstruction.

The Golan Heights is a narrow strip of land in southwestern Syria. Israel occupied part of the Golan Heights in the third Middle East war in 1967 and formally annexed the occupied territory in 1981, but the international community does not recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the region.