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| ''Al Qunaytirah''' or '''Quneitra''' is a city of southwestern ] that is now largely abandoned. It lies in the UN-monitored demilitarized zone between Syria and ]. The city was a commercial and cultural hub for southwestern Syria until the ], when Israel attacked the ] and captured it. Israel claims its attack on the Golan Heights was purely in self-defense as a response to Syrian shelling of the ]. The city was placed back under Syria's control for a short while in the ], but Israel recaptured it. The Israelis withdrew from the city in 1974. Syria claims that Israel deliberately destroyed the city, and systematically stripped it of its usefullness. Israel claims that the city was destroyed in the fighting from both sides. The General Assembly of the United Nations condemned what it saw as Israel's role in the destruction of the city in Resolution |
''Al Qunaytirah''' or '''Quneitra''' is a city of southwestern ] that is now largely abandoned. It lies in the UN-monitored demilitarized zone between Syria and ]. The city was a commercial and cultural hub for southwestern Syria until the ], when Israel attacked the ] and captured it. Israel claims its attack on the Golan Heights was purely in self-defense as a response to Syrian shelling of the ]. The city was placed back under Syria's control for a short while in the ], but Israel recaptured it. The Israelis withdrew from the city in 1974. Syria claims that Israel deliberately destroyed the city, and systematically stripped it of its usefullness. Israel claims that the city was destroyed in the fighting from both sides. The General Assembly of the United Nations condemned what it saw as Israel's role in the destruction of the city in Resolution 3240 dated 29/11/1974. Syria chose not to resettle the city and leave it as a testament to what it calls "Zionist brutality." | ||
| Since ], Syria has pledged to reconstruct the city. It has started construction projects which include a multi-million dollar hospital and a new highway from ] to Al Qunaytirah. | Since ], Syria has pledged to reconstruct the city. It has started construction projects which include a multi-million dollar hospital and a new highway from ] to Al Qunaytirah. | ||
Revision as of 06:32, 5 June 2005
Al Qunaytirah' or Quneitra is a city of southwestern Syria that is now largely abandoned. It lies in the UN-monitored demilitarized zone between Syria and Israel. The city was a commercial and cultural hub for southwestern Syria until the Six-Day War, when Israel attacked the Golan Heights and captured it. Israel claims its attack on the Golan Heights was purely in self-defense as a response to Syrian shelling of the Galilee. The city was placed back under Syria's control for a short while in the Yom Kippur War, but Israel recaptured it. The Israelis withdrew from the city in 1974. Syria claims that Israel deliberately destroyed the city, and systematically stripped it of its usefullness. Israel claims that the city was destroyed in the fighting from both sides. The General Assembly of the United Nations condemned what it saw as Israel's role in the destruction of the city in Resolution 3240 dated 29/11/1974. Syria chose not to resettle the city and leave it as a testament to what it calls "Zionist brutality."
Since 2005, Syria has pledged to reconstruct the city. It has started construction projects which include a multi-million dollar hospital and a new highway from Damascus to Al Qunaytirah.
Destruction
In a "Report of the Security Council commission" established under resolution 446, a witness testified as to Israel's alleged destruction of the city before withdrawal:
At the beginning of June 1974, the witness had visited the city of Quneitra, where he saw a large number of Israeli bulldozers destroying the town and the surrounding areas.
Speaking of the conditions prevailing in the Golan Heights before 1967, Mr.Chjair said that he used to teach in a town called Feiq, close to the truce line that existed before the 1967 war. During that time, the exchange of fire across the border was a daily matter because in its efforts to gain more land, Israel used to send its tractors to till the area in the no-man's land, which they then claimed as their own.
The witness said that he and many other inhabitants tried to return to their homes, but were prevented from doing so by Israeli troops. Israeli authorities stole many archaeological remains and stones. They destroyed the trees, the vineyards. They burned all the crops which had already been harvested.
The Israeli troops entered also the village of Mesehara where the witness had taken refuge. They used loudspeakers to urge the inhabitants to leave immediately if they did not want to be killed. The villagers were then gathered and expelled, with tanks following them. Some old people, however, remained behind. They have never been heard of since then.
Israel claims that the town was destroyed by Syrian artillary during and before the Yom Kippur War.
The New York Times on October 21 1973 referred to Quneitra as "a bombed-out military town the Syrians lost to the Israelis ..."
Religious importance
Tradition holds that Saint Paul passed through Qunaytirah on his way from Damascus to Jerusalem. The city was home to an important Greek Orthodox church until the Six Day war. Syria claims Israel destroyed and robbed the church . While Israel claims that the town, including the church, was destroyed by Syrian artillary during and before the Yom Kippur War .
Governorate
Al Qunaytirah is also the name of a governorate of southwestern Syria that includes the Israeli occupied Golan Heights. Israel objects to the international use of the term "occupied". However, the term is used by the international community and Syria to refer to the area.
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