SYRIA’S Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Hussam Eddin Ala, affirmed on Monday that the Israeli violations of international humanitarian law and the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people and of the people of the occupied Syrian Golan are systematic discriminatory practices.
They are violations of the legal obligations of the Israeli occupation authorities, which requires the Human Rights Council to monitor and condemn these acts under Item 7. This came in a statement delivered at the 35th session of the UN Human Rights Council on the Item 7 and the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories, which is held in Geneva.
Ambassador Ala said that after decades of failing to curb the systematic violations of international law and humanitarian law carried out by Israel, there are now countries that continue to exercise selectivity and double standards and boycott Item 7 in support of Israel.
These countries must shoulder their responsibility in taking effective measures to stop the illegal practices of the occupation authorities and to compel Israel to withdraw fully from the Arab territories occupied in 1967, including the occupied Syrian Golan, the rest of Lebanese land, and occupied Palestinian territories, and enable the Palestinian people to determine their destiny and establish their state on all of their national soil with Jerusalem as its capital.
Ala added that the Israeli settlement and attempts to change the demographic character and composition of the occupied Syrian Golan remain the clearest expression of Israel’s contempt for international law and UN Security Council resolutions.
He called on the companies operating in the occupied Syrian Golan to end their trade cooperation that supports the settlement and contributes to the Israeli occupation. He noted that as part of its efforts to consecrate its occupation of the Syrian Golan, the Israeli authorities are implementing settlement projects, including the allocation of 10,000 donums for the so-called farms project to receive 750 new families of settlers.
Ala pointed out that Israel continues to subject the people of the occupied Syrian Golan to arbitrary detention under inhumane conditions, affirming that Syria reiterates its rejection of the mock trials conducted by the occupation authorities.
He said Syria condemns the unjust 14-year jail sentence against Syrian captive Sudqi al-Maqt who has been detained since February 2015 for exposing the support offered by the Israeli occupation to Jabhat al-Nusra, demanding to immediately release him.
The Ambassador said that facilitating the movement of terrorist organisations in the occupied Syrian Golan by Israel constitutes a violation of the Separation of Forces agreement and Security Council resolutions relating to the fight against terrorism. This has contributed to the continued tension in the region, adding that the UNDOF (UN Disengagement Observer Force) reports documented cooperation between Israel and members of armed terrorist organisations and the delivery of aid to them.
• One civilian was killed and five others were injured on Monday due to shelling attack on al-Dekhania area in Damascus Countryside in a new violation of the Russian memorandum on de-escalation zones.
A source at Damascus Police Command told SANA that armed groups positioned in Ayn Tarma and its orchards to the north of Jaramana city in the Eastern Ghouta area fired a number of shells on al-Dekhania area in Damascus Countryside, claiming the life of a civilian, injuring five others, and causing material damage to citizens’ houses and properties.
Meanwhile the Syrian Army’s artillery on Monday targeted ISIS hideouts and fortifications in the surroundings of the Panorama school and Tal Brouk, west of the Radio Station in Aiyyash village, al-Thardeh, in the surroundings of the Military Airport and in al-Howeiqa neighbourhood, destroying terrorists’ barricades and killing a number of them.
The army air force, in parallel with the artillery bombardments, destroyed ISIS gatherings and vehicles, killing and injuring a number of terrorists in al-Hamidiyeh neighbourhood, the Panorama and the villages of al-Bghiliyeh and Aiyyash.
The Syrian army continued its military operations against ISIL in the Western countryside of Raqqa, and managed to gain control over a number of regions and villages. The army units took control of the village of Haniteh-Anbaj after recapturing key oilfields and al-Karadi, Akhu Hadleh, Jeb al-Sa’ad and Rasm Amoun in Raqqa province.
The recaptured regions are located on both sides of Ithriya-Raqqa international highway and the Syrian army is now only 20 kilometres from al-Tabbaqa military airport. The military sources, meantime, disclosed that the Syrian army will not move towards al-Tabbaqa airport at present because the Syrian army’s current mission is to purge the IS terrorists from the Southern and Northern regions of the ancient city of al-Rasafeh as well as the town of al-Koum deep into Badiyeh (desert) and then besiege the IS in the town of al-Sukhna to eventually move to break the siege of Deir Ezzor.
Syrian army troops had earlier managed to reach the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) through the Euphrates river from Abu Assi and Shoeib al-Zekr in Western al-Tabbaqa towards al-Rasafeh-Raqqa road.
In a relevant development on Sunday, the Syrian army backed by the country’s air force continued its military advances in the Western part of Raqqa and managed to take full control of over ten regions.
Syrian army troops took control of the towns of Banr al-Jaeq, Banr Mousa al-Hendi and Bahr Abu Hamat after fierce clashes with the ISIL terrorists in Western Raqqa. The army forces also managed to recapture the towns of Mazafeh Awijan Bu Khamis, Banr al-Sadran, Akhu Hadleh, Haj Mofazi, Banr al-Adad, Banr Abu al-Sanabel, Banr al-Amaleh and Rajm al-Amaleh hill West of the strategic city of al-Rasafeh.
Syrian fighter jets also heavily pounded the military positions and movements of the ISIL in the surrounding areas of Bir Abu Kobra and Jonub al-Nashmi as well as al-Karawi village and Al-Rasafeh town which resulted in the death and injury of tens of IS terrorists and destruction of a large number of their military vehicles.
Meantime, a military source also pointed to the Syrian forces’ advances towards the strategic al-Rasafeh city, and said that the Syrian army will cut the supply lines of the ISIL between Raqqa and Badieyh (desert) once it comes in control of al-Rasafeh.
• The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) condemned on Sunday the attack on the convoy of humanitarian aid and its personnel in the area of Harasta in Damascus Countryside. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the SARC expressed deep regret for the targeting of its teams by gunfire which led to the injury of a truck driver who was rushed to the hospital and underwent surgery.
The statement added that this attack came at a time when the SARC was seeking, in cooperation with its humanitarian partners, to deliver a truck loaded with relief supplies. The SARC concluded its statement by reminding all parties of their duty in protecting humanitarian workers, facilitating their work, and respecting the emblem of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.
