Syria condemns Netanyahu's visit to its Israeli-occupied south

• On Nov 19, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Israeli troops in the buffer zone in southern Syria, accompanied by Defence Minister Israel Katz and senior military chiefs, the prime minister's office said.
• After the December 8, 2024 advance, the IDF seized buffer-zone positions, expanding the security zone, and U.S.-brokered security talks have stalled as Israel refuses to withdraw from posts seized after December 2024.
• Video from the Prime Minister's Office showed Benjamin Netanyahu stepping from a helicopter wearing a flak jacket, visiting an IDF observation post where he observed the sector, held a security discussion and met regular and reserve soldiers on Wednesday.
• Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the visit as a sovereignty violation and a new attempt to `impose a fait accompli`, while Stephane Dujarric and Russia's ambassador also condemned the trip.
• With Syria demanding a return to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, stalled security pact talks between Israel and Syria heighten risks as Najat Rochdi warned Israeli actions endanger civilians and inflame tensions.
• On Thursday, President Donald J. Trump backed a draft peace plan obtained by The Associated Press that was shared in full with Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv as U.S. envoys pushed for a quick signature.
• After about a month of talks, the 28-point proposal was drafted by Steve Witkoff, Trump negotiator, and Kirill Dmitriev, Kremlin adviser, without meaningful European or Ukrainian involvement.
• The draft's 28 points call for recognizing Crimea and parts of Donbas as Russian-held, capping Ukrainian Armed Forces at 600,000 personnel, barring NATO expansion, and creating a US‑Russian investment vehicle with $100 billion in frozen Russian assets.
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, has ruled out ceding territory while Ukrainian officials push back and European diplomats insist on their consent as U.S. officials pressed Kyiv for signature before Thanksgiving.
• The draft could reshape European security without clear U.S. or European enforcement, as analysts say the Peace Council headed by President Donald J. Trump mirrors Kremlin demands and raises enforcement questions.

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