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The raising of the Israeli flag in Quneitra sparks anger among Syrians… What’s the story?

A video circulating on social media showing Israeli soldiers raising the Israeli flag in the city of Quneitra in southern Syria has triggered widespread outrage and anger among Syrians. The footage shows Israeli soldiers raising the flag and chanting slogans believed to be the Israeli national anthem or religious chants, further escalating tensions and discontent.
Mohammed Al-Sa’id, Director of Media in Quneitra Governorate, told Enab Baladi that the footage circulating online was recorded in the past two days and that the incident is confirmed. The Israeli flag was raised at what is known as “The Flag Roundabout” in the governorate, a site occupied by the Israeli army immediately after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024. It is located near the border strip with the Golan Heights.
Al-Sa’id noted that the area where the incident took place, also known as “Syria Square,” had previously seen the raising of the Syrian flag in 1974 by President Hafez al-Assad after Syria’s liberation of Quneitra. Regarding the act of raising the flag, he said it has not yet been confirmed whether the slogans chanted were the Israeli national anthem or religious chants by the soldiers, as investigations are still ongoing.
Southern Syria has witnessed frequent Israeli incursions, including establishing checkpoints, military positions, and conducting raids within the Quneitra countryside, raising concerns for the Syrian government and many observers who see these actions as a continuous violation of Syrian sovereignty.
Former Syrian President Ahmad al-Shar’a warned in his statements that the region is heading toward a new wave of unrest unless a security agreement with Israel is reached that guarantees Syria’s sovereignty. He called on Tel Aviv to adhere to a serious negotiating path. During a seminar held by the Middle East Institute in New York on September 23, he stated that Damascus is open to dialogue but linked that to stopping aerial and land assaults and accepting the deployment of UN forces according to the 1974 agreement.
In the same vein, U.S. Special Envoy to Syria, Thomas Braek, mentioned that there are indications of a rapprochement toward a “de-escalation” agreement between Syria and Israel, involving a halt to Israeli attacks and Syrian forces stopping the deployment of heavy equipment on the Israeli border. During the UN General Assembly meetings, he said this agreement is a first step toward broader negotiations between the two countries.
Recently, Israel has carried out multiple incursions, including military infiltrations into Quneitra territory and raids on homes in various villages, the latest being a joint military operation in Al-Kiswah city. These operations have not resulted in direct clashes but continue to escalate the security situation in the region.
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