Israeli forces grant farmers one-day access to lands in southern Syria
QUNEITRA, Syria (North Press) – Israeli forces granted on Tuesday farmers from the Yarmouk Basin, a region spanning the countryside of Daraa and Quneitra in southern Syria, a one-day window to retrieve their agricultural equipment, then barred them from returning to replant their fields.
A local source told North Press that while farmers were allowed to remove equipment from their fields, they were subsequently prevented from re-entering the area.
The source explained that a key road runs alongside the al-Jazeera military post, which Israeli forces have established as their headquarters. This blockade has effectively cut off farmers from accessing their fields.
He further noted that ten days ago, Israeli forces seized and fortified a position west of the village of Maariya and the al-Jazeera post in western Daraa, designating the area as a military zone where civilian access is strictly prohibited.
Since most residents of the Yarmouk Basin depend on agriculture, beekeeping, and livestock for their livelihoods, these restrictions are expected to significantly harm local incomes and could lead to a shortage of vegetables in regional markets, according to the source.
In a related development, reports have emerged of Israeli forces entering the village of Saida al-Jolan, located on the administrative border between Daraa and Quneitra and just 2 kilometers from the 1974-established buffer zone.