The Syrian Future Movement follows with great appreciation and pride the massive protest demonstrations that took place across various Syrian provinces on Friday, October 23, 2026—following Friday prayers—in rejection of the escalating Israeli incursions and attacks in the provinces of Daraa and Quneitra. These protests were a response to popular calls sparked by the killing of a young man with a disability, Mu’adh Salama al-Bu’ayyer, who was shot by occupation forces during their incursion into the town of Jamla, in the western countryside of Daraa, on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
The Syrian Future Movement views this broad popular mobilization—which spanned Damascus (in front of the United Nations headquarters in Mezzeh), the Damascus countryside (Douma and Sa’sa’), Homs (Al-Sa’a Square), Daraa (18th of March Square, under the slogan “Syria belongs to the Syrians”), Quneitra (Khan Arnabah), Hama (Masyaf), Al-Hasakah, Idlib, and other locations—as a civilized, national expression of an uncompromising rejection of all forms of aggression against Syrian sovereignty. It serves as an affirmation that the Syrian south is not an isolated issue, but rather an integral part of the nation, and that—as the participants chanted—”Quneitra is not alone.”
The Syrian Future Movement highly commends the thousands of citizens who took part in these peaceful demonstrations, despite difficult circumstances, to voice their opposition to Israeli aggression and to demonstrate their commitment to the unity and sovereignty of Syrian territory. The Syrian Future Movement notes the participation of the families of those detained or abducted by the Zionist occupation in these demonstrations, as they call for the release of their loved ones—a legitimate humanitarian and legal demand.
The Syrian Future Movement condemns, in the strongest possible terms, Israel’s continued violations of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. These violations include repeated ground incursions, raids on civilian homes, arbitrary arrests, the bulldozing of land, and direct targeting of civilians. Most recently, this has included the killing of a young man, Muaz al-Bu’ayyer—a crime that adds to a long record of violations documented by the United Nations and the Syrian Network for Human Rights, which include at least 453 ground incursions, 69 deaths, and 162 cases of arbitrary arrest between December 2024 and October 6, 2026.
The Syrian Future Movement acknowledges the official stance expressed by the Minister of Justice, Mazhar al-Wais, who described these demonstrations as “a clear popular and legal response, and an explicit denunciation of the ongoing crimes and flagrant violations committed by the Israeli occupation forces.”
While recognizing the importance of this official position, the Syrian Future Movement emphasizes that such statements must be translated into effective diplomatic and legal action. Popular outrage alone cannot halt the machinery of aggression; it requires a genuine international will to enforce respect for international law. In this context, the Syrian Future Movement reaffirms its consistent positions—as documented on its official website—in which it has repeatedly condemned Israeli aggressions in southern Syria and called for urgent international action:
In its statement titled “Israeli Incursions in Daraa and Quneitra,” dated March 17, 2026, the Syrian Future Movement demanded urgent intervention by the international community to halt these grave violations, asserting that “national sovereignty is not a matter for compromise or negotiation.”
In another statement, titled “Quneitra Is Not Alone,” dated October 21, 2026, the Syrian Future Movement expressed its support for a unified national declaration issued by Syrian civil society organizations and activists. It called for peaceful demonstrations, warned against the “dangerous expansion of activities linked to the ‘Sofa 53’ project,” and emphasized that “diplomacy alone cannot protect civilians unless it is backed by a genuine international resolve to enforce respect for the law.”
The Syrian Future Movement views the current popular demonstrations as a natural continuation of these long-standing positions. They serve as a practical manifestation of a deep-rooted national consciousness—a recognition that the cause of the South is not merely the concern of a specific group or province, but rather the cause of every free Syrian who refuses to see their land violated or the blood of their people shed.
Acting out of its national responsibility, the Syrian Future Movement recommends the following:
First: Translating popular outrage into effective diplomatic pressure by continuing to urge the transitional government to submit an urgent, formal memorandum to the UN Security Council and the United Nations. This memorandum should demand an immediate and unconditional cessation of Israeli aggression, the withdrawal of occupation forces from areas they have penetrated, the activation of international monitoring mechanisms for the disengagement agreement, and the holding of those responsible for crimes against civilians accountable.
Second: Pursuing the crimes of the occupation before international forums by documenting the killing of Muath al-Bu’ayyer—along with all prior violations—and submitting this evidence to the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) and the International Criminal Court (ICC). This is to ensure that no Israeli official escapes accountability for crimes committed against the Syrian people.
Third: Compensating the victims of these attacks and supporting their families through a national fund designed to provide reparations to the families of those killed, wounded, or abducted. This includes providing healthcare and psychological support to the injured, assisting the families of those held in Israeli prisons, and ensuring that their cases are pursued within international forums.
Fourth: Strengthening national unity and rejecting all attempts to incite strife. It must be emphasized that popular demonstrations must remain peaceful and inclusive of all Syrians; any attempt to exploit these gatherings to settle scores or spread hate speech is a malicious act that serves the occupation and weakens the internal front in the face of aggression. Fifth: The continuation of peaceful popular mobilization, while maintaining its inclusive character that transcends political divisions. It is essential not to allow any party to turn the cause of the South into an arena for internal conflict or a tool for polarization; the strength of the popular stance lies in its unity, sincerity, and commitment to the supreme interests of the nation.
The Syrian Future Movement values every popular voice raised today in rejection of the aggression. It expresses its full solidarity with the people of Daraa and Quneitra, as well as with the families of the martyrs and those who have been abducted. It reaffirms the pledge that the blood of the young man, Muath al-Bu’ayyer—and all the martyrs of the South—will not have been shed in vain. Every drop of blood spilled on Syrian soil shall remain a testament to the crimes of the occupation, and a catalyst for further steadfastness and the pursuit of justice.
The Syrian Future Movement asserts that “Quneitra does not stand alone,” and that Syria is capable of defending its sovereignty. …and the restoration of all its territory—provided that popular anger is transformed into a firm political will, and condemnations are translated into concrete actions. For the homeland we dream of cannot be built on slogans alone; it requires unity, hard work, and steadfastness.
For its part, the Syrian Future Movement will continue to support everything that strengthens Syria’s sovereignty and unity. It will remain critical of any shortcomings and will closely monitor developments on the ground—all in pursuit of a new Syria that reclaims its entire territory, ensuring that every inch of its soil is safeguarded.
