Syrian Official Warns Israel Against Altering Key Golan Heights Ceasefire

A senior Syrian official has warned that any Israeli attempt to change a landmark 1974 ceasefire agreement would create major regional instability. Deputy Prime Minister Walid al-Moallem issued the caution during his speech at the Doha Forum in Qatar. He stated that tampering with the agreement would turn the region into a "dangerous place with unknown consequences." The warning specifically addressed the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. This pact, supervised by the United Nations, created a buffer zone between Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights. Israel captured the territory from Syria in the 1967 war and later annexed it, a move not recognized internationally. The Syrian statement responds to recent discussions within Israel about potential changes to the arrangement in the area. Al-Moallem's comments underscore Syria's view that altering the decades-old agreement is a serious escalation.