Syrian women protest Israeli occupation in Quneitra village

Residents of occupied area vow resistance, saying women, girls, children will stand together

Omer Koparan and Muhammet Nazim Tasci |03.01.2025 - TRT/AA



QUNEITRA, Syria

Women from Swaysa village and surrounding areas in Syria’s Quneitra province, which is under Israeli military occupation, are calling for an end to the Israeli aggression and the withdrawal of its forces from Syrian land.

In an interview with Anadolu, Resmiye al-Muhammed, a local resident, emphasized: “We do not want the Zionist occupation. This is our land, and we will not surrender it. Women, girls, and children will resist together.”

Quneitra, located in southwestern Syria, shares a border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Since the fall of Assad’s regime on Dec. 8, the Israeli military has escalated its attacks on Syrian territory, targeting military infrastructure while extending its control over the Golan Heights.

The Israeli forces have also intensified airstrikes and expanded their presence in Quneitra, with recent raids driving civilians from public buildings and resulting in three injuries during protests in Swaysa village.

‘Stop Israel from advancing further’

Betul Keryan, a resident of Swaysa, described the community’s resistance against the Israeli forces, saying: "Everyone came out to resist, and eventually, the Israeli forces withdrew."

Keryan, who called for the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Quneitra, appealed to authorities and Arab nations for their support, stating: “We urge the authorities and Arab nations to support us.”

Selam Keryan, also from Swaysa, shared the fear her family experienced during the Israeli incursions. “My children were terrified by the sound of tanks. I did my best to comfort them,” she told Anadolu.

Keryan firmly stated her family’s rejection of Israel’s occupation, saying: “I call on the new Syrian administration to intervene and stop Israel from advancing further.”

She also recalled the hope she felt when Assad’s regime collapsed, saying: “We thought we could finally begin a new chapter of peace and security. But the Israeli army came and ruined everything.”

Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime forces took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, bringing an end to the Baath Party’s reign, which had lasted since 1963.

The takeover occurred after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters captured key cities in a swift offensive lasting less than two weeks. A new administration, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, has now assumed control.

Following the regime’s fall, Tel Aviv took control of the demilitarized zone in Syria's Quneitra province and declared the collapse of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.


* Writing by Beril Canakci