The Syrian Future Movement is following with grave concern the recent developments in Quneitra Governorate, where on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, Israeli occupation forces destroyed the historic Andalus Cinema in Quneitra city using dynamite and bulldozers, as part of a systematic campaign to erase the city’s historical and cultural landmarks.
They also shelled agricultural lands south of the town of Al-Rafid with four artillery shells fired from their positions in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, causing significant material damage to agricultural property, though no casualties have been reported so far.
We consider these actions a blatant violation of Syrian sovereignty and a targeting of the cultural and economic heritage of the Syrian people, who are already suffering the consequences of protracted conflicts.
The Syrian Future Movement affirms the unity of Syrian territory and its full sovereignty over every inch of its land, including the occupied Golan Heights and Quneitra, which has been devastated since the 1967 occupation.
We emphasize that the destruction of cultural landmarks like the Andalus Cinema, which was a vital center for the arts and collective memory, is an attempt to erase Syrian identity and consolidate the occupation.
We in the Syrian Future Movement, as a civil political movement born from the heart of the Syrian revolution, are committed to a national vision that unites all Syrians under the banner of unity and dignity, and we call for strengthening national cohesion to confront such violations.
The Syrian Future Movement considers this escalation a direct violation of international law, including Security Council Resolutions 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), which call for Israel’s withdrawal from the occupied territories, and Resolution 497 (1981), which declares the annexation of the Golan Heights null and void.
It also violates the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which established a buffer zone under the supervision of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), and threatens regional stability. The recent agreements between Syria and Israel, reached in January 2016 during the Paris talks mediated by the United States, established a joint mechanism for intelligence sharing, military de-escalation, and diplomatic and commercial coordination under US supervision.
We emphasize that this mechanism, which aims to revitalize the 1974 agreement and prevent escalation, must be an instrument for peace, not a cover-up for violations.
We also believe that such Israeli actions undermine international efforts to achieve a balanced security agreement that guarantees the withdrawal of Israeli forces to their positions prior to the fall of the Assad regime in 2024, and protects Syrian sovereignty without interference in internal affairs.
The Syrian Future Movement sees this crisis as an opportunity to strengthen comprehensive peace in the region through serious negotiations based on the principles of justice and mutual respect. We call for utilizing the new international mechanisms to achieve a complete withdrawal from the occupied territories, compensation for those affected, and the reconstruction of damaged areas.
At the same time, we stress the necessity of defending Syrian rights by all peaceful and legal means, while preserving regional stability for the benefit of all the peoples of the region.
The Syrian Future Movement calls on the international community, especially the United Nations and the United States as mediators, to intervene immediately to stop these violations, implement the recent agreements fairly, and hold those responsible for the destruction accountable.
We also call on the Syrian government to strengthen diplomatic efforts to restore full sovereignty, and on all Syrians to unite in the face of these challenges.
