Geneva (HRNW)- The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria has expressed grave concern over Israel’s military operations in southern Syria, warning that some measures, including the detention of civilians, may amount to war crimes.
Briefing the UN Human Rights Council, commission member Fionnuala Ni Aoláin said Israeli military activities in southern Syria were continuing and expanding, including ground incursions, patrols, raids and searches affecting civilians.
According to the commission, as of June, Israeli forces had detained 49 Syrian civilians, including two children, on Syrian territory and transferred some across the border. The commission said some detainees were held incommunicado, raising concerns about possible torture or ill-treatment.
The commission also reported the establishment of temporary checkpoints and permanent military installations in Syria’s Quneitra and Daraa provinces, saying the military activities had contributed to the displacement of local residents.
Israel rejected the commission’s position as “anti-Israeli,” saying its limited buffer zone in Syria is intended to protect civilians from security threats and that it has no territorial ambitions in Syria. The Syrian government welcomed the UN report and accused Israel of violating Syria’s sovereignty and the 1974 ceasefire agreement.
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