Israeli expansion across Golan Heights frontier takes toll on Syrian farmers
In the 19th century, Hasan Saadeddin’s clan left what is now Jordan after a tribal feud and settled in the Golan Heights. The clan became owners of land close to Jabata Al Khashab in Syria 's Quneitra province, near the high ground that Israel occupied in 1967. For nearly three decades, Mr Saadeddin farmed the quarter-hectare he owns in peace. With plentiful rain and rich soil on the strategic…
The story of Hasan Saadeddin, a Syrian farmer whose land has been taken by Israel, paints a grim picture of the impact of Israeli expansion on the Golan Heights frontier. Saadeddin's family has lived in the Golan Heights since the 19th century, owning a small piece of land near the Syrian town of Quneitra. For decades, he farmed that land, producing olives, cherries, and plums in the rich soil of the strategic plateau.
However, in April 2024, Israeli forces arrested his son, Saddam, and demolished his land, leaving him devastated. The area is now the site of new Israeli military installations, part of a line known as Sufa 53, which Israel has been building since 2022. According to Syrian authorities, Israel is extending the line south towards the Yarmouk River basin.
This expansion has forced around 250 farmers off their land, leaving them unable to access their fields or making them unusable. The conflict has intensified since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, leading to Israeli incursions and airstrikes. As a result, 280 Syrians were detained by Israel in September alone. The situation remains tense, with the possibility of further fragmentation creating instability for the region.
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- Israeli expansion across Golan Heights frontier takes toll on Syrian farmers thenationalnews.com
