THE UNITED NATIONS: UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said on Tuesday that Israel must stop all settlement activity in the occupied Syrian Golan, which is illegal.
Attacks on Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must stop,” Pedersen added.
The Syrian conflict “is not over” even after the departure of former President Bashar al-Assad, the UN envoy to the country has warned, highlighting clashes between Turkey-backed groups and Kurds in the north.
Geir Pedersen, the UN special envoy for Syria, also called on the Security Council for Israel to “cease all settlement activity in the occupied Syrian Golan” and said ending sanctions would be essential to helping Syria .
“There were significant hostilities over the past two weeks before a ceasefire was negotiated…A five-day ceasefire has now expired and I am seriously concerned by reports state of a military escalation,” he declared.
“Such an escalation could be catastrophic.”
Pedersen also said he met with Syria’s new de facto rulers after the rebels’ lightning takeover, and visited the “dungeons” and “torture and execution chambers” of Sednaya prison, operated under the Assad government.
He called for “broad support” for Syria and an end to sanctions to allow the war-ravaged country to rebuild.
“Concrete movement towards an inclusive political transition will be essential to ensure that Syria receives the economic support it needs,” Pedersen said.
“There is a clear international desire to get involved. The needs are immense and can only be met with broad support, including a smooth end to sanctions, appropriate measures on designations as well, and a complete reconstruction.”
Western countries are grappling with their approach to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led the takeover of Damascus and has roots in the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda.
Pedersen noted that Israel carried out more than 350 strikes against Syria after the departure of the old regime, including a major strike on Tartus.
“Such attacks further expose the battered civilian population and undermine prospects for an orderly political transition,” he said.
The envoy warned against plans announced by the Israeli cabinet to expand settlements inside the Golan, occupied by Israel since 1967 and annexed in 1981.
Separately, the United States said Tuesday it felt “cautious optimism” about the chances of reaching a ceasefire in the 14-month war in Gaza, while acknowledging that similar hopes had been dashed previously.
Hamas said Tuesday that the Qatar-brokered talks were “serious and positive,” a day after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the two sides as closer than ever to an agreement.
“I think cautious optimism is a fair way to characterize the situation, although it is very much tempered by realism,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
“There were times before when we were close and we thought the differences could be bridged, and ultimately we didn’t get an agreement,” Miller said.
“All the United States can do is push and try to find compromises, but we cannot dictate to both sides what choice they must make; they must make these decisions themselves.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has made 12 visits to the Middle East since the war began. In August, Blinken warned Israel that this was “perhaps the last” chance to reach a deal that would free hostages captured by Palestinian militants.
