SYRIATV — broadcast 20261105 040000 UTC 438 transcript segments Google Cloud Speech-to-Text API (Chirp) + Gemini 2.5 Flash Non-Thinking Data courtesy of The GDELT Project (https://www.gdeltproject.org/), from the Internet Archive TV News Archive. Machine transcription. Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a verbatim quotation record. [00:00:09] is not a margin. [00:00:15] agreement, if signed, will certainly [00:00:21] We certainly ask [00:00:27] to communicate more with [00:01:13] it's easy to say our people are steadfast and we salute [00:01:16] their courage and ask them to hold on [00:01:18] to their land. But what are we offering [00:01:21] them? What are we offering them [00:01:24] risking their lives, and in many [00:01:24] are prohibited from so they can remain steadfast, and how do we ensure that [00:01:27] law. Now, international law, at steadfastness isn't a burden left solely on their shoulders? [00:01:30] There's the father who fears for his children, [00:01:34] the farmer who wants to reach his land, [00:01:37] And we suffer greatly from this and the family that, out of fear, is thinking of leaving their home. [00:01:41] It's not enough to tell them, "May God [00:01:43] to pressure this strengthen you." [00:01:46] and communication with These people need security, they need [00:01:46] media, official media. services, they need medical care, they need education, they need [00:01:49] livelihood, and they need to know that if their home is damaged, God [00:01:54] and sources of income in forbid, or their source of income is cut off, there's someone to support them, and that [00:01:57] their voice is heard and their suffering has a purpose. [00:02:02] And here we start with the role of the government. [00:02:05] How does it turn support for steadfastness into a truly [00:02:08] real plan, with resources, responsibilities, follow-up, [00:02:12] and actual implementation on [00:02:14] centers in the ground? How does it listen [00:02:16] the southern sector of the governorate. There to the people? How does it involve them in identifying their needs and protecting their rights [00:02:19] to its location bordering and dignity? Who is following up on the affairs of [00:02:22] the abducted? We will ask about the role of the elites. [00:02:26] Where is Quneitra and the entire south in the interest of journalists, [00:02:30] researchers, and influential people? [00:02:33] Do we talk about them only during attacks and then we forget [00:02:36] about them? How do we convey their stories [00:02:40] and advocate for them without reducing them to images of [00:02:44] at victims or asking them for heroism beyond [00:02:48] their capacity? [00:02:52] tools. So, from this We will ask civil society and the private sector what we can do to support [00:02:56] schools, health [00:02:58] than that. It has become a mockery of centers, farmers, small projects, [00:03:01] everything. How do we coordinate efforts so that [00:03:05] aid reaches people as they need it? How [00:03:08] can we create the ability to continue, not just fill [00:03:12] a shortage for a few days and that's it? We also [00:03:15] want to ask if [00:03:17] sacrifices we would not be sitting in this the support is reaching all areas [00:03:18] place, nor would this and groups. Who is following up on the most affected families, [00:03:22] the women who bear the responsibility of their households, the elderly, [00:03:26] people with disabilities? Steadfastness has [00:03:37] Quneitra, Hauran, and the South, and [00:03:40] among them, and about our responsibilities [00:03:43] towards them, because [00:03:46] when they knew that this holding on to the land requires essential elements, and true solidarity must [00:03:49] appear in people's lives. How do we transform the steadfastness of [00:03:53] the South from a greeting we offer to a responsibility [00:03:56] we bear? This is the real question of our episode today. [00:04:17] are no longer just news [00:04:20] we hear. They have become a reality [00:04:23] the abducted that terribly affects people's lives, their security, the details of [00:04:25] capacity. Is there emigration from people from [00:04:26] There is communication with their daily lives, everything. Some people are afraid to go to their land. [00:04:29] There are families living in the anxiety of waiting for their detained children. We have [00:04:32] some of them here. The question today is how the people of Quneitra [00:04:36] are living this reality. We will hear all these details from our people [00:05:21] In Quneitra, life begins with simple details: [00:05:24] a home, land, a road to school, [00:05:28] and livelihood that people await at the end of each [00:05:31] day. But these details here do not always go as [00:05:35] their owners wish. The occupation has imposed an [00:05:38] exceptional reality on the governorate, and challenges have accumulated [00:05:41] for its people: security, [00:05:44] livelihood, and services. Quneitra Governorate is located [00:05:48] in the southwestern part of Syria, and forms [00:05:52] part of the Syrian Golan. It has a special geographical [00:05:55] and political location due to its proximity to the occupied [00:05:59] territories and the presence of areas subject to the 1974 [00:06:02] Disengagement Agreement. [00:06:05] The city of Quneitra was destroyed during the Israeli withdrawal in that [00:06:09] year, and remained largely deserted. [00:06:13] Then the administrative center moved to the city of Salam, while [00:06:16] population centers are distributed in multiple towns and villages. [00:06:19] Quneitra includes multiple social [00:06:23] components, including Sunni Arabs, [00:06:26] Druze, Alawites, Circassians, Turkmen, [00:06:29] and Christians. According to estimates from the Central Bureau of Statistics [00:06:32] published in 2021, [00:06:36] the population of Quneitra Governorate was about [00:06:38] 124 thousand people. But estimating [00:06:42] the current population is more difficult due to displacement, [00:06:46] return, and the changes that the governorate has witnessed. [00:06:49] A wide segment of Quneitra's [00:06:52] population relies on agriculture and livestock farming. [00:06:54] The cultivation of fruit trees, especially [00:06:58] pomegranates and apples, stands out, along with [00:07:01] field crops, as one of the most prominent economic activities [00:07:06] the governorate. Agriculture in Quneitra faces [00:07:10] cumulative challenges, from rising [00:07:12] production costs and water and irrigation problems, to difficulties [00:07:16] in accessing some lands due to security conditions. [00:07:20] Farmers also face challenges in marketing [00:07:23] their crops, which affects family income [00:07:25] and the continuation of agricultural activity. [00:07:29] Quneitra's specificity is linked [00:07:32] the occupied Golan. Since the Disengagement Agreement in [00:07:36] 1974, [00:07:38] UN forces have been deployed in the separation zone to [00:07:42] monitor the agreement, and that area has witnessed new [00:07:46] field developments since December [00:07:48] 2024, with the incursion of occupation forces into the buffer [00:07:52] zone and also outside it. [00:07:56] So, Quneitra is not just a border [00:07:59] region or an area where security news is repeated. [00:08:02] It is a community with its own land, sources [00:08:06] of livelihood, and social particularity, [00:08:09] and it faces challenges affecting its security and economy, and its [00:08:13] future. Between Israeli attacks and daily [00:08:16] life needs, the question remains: How can [00:08:20] the continued presence of Quneitra's people on their land be ensured, [00:08:23] and how can the necessities of a stable and dignified life be provided [00:08:26] for them? [00:08:29] Let me go to the esteemed ladies and gentlemen present. [00:08:32] How is your life today in Quneitra? Is there [00:08:35] safety? Is there fear? What [00:08:39] do you want? The ceiling is open. Speak your mind. What voice [00:08:43] do you want to convey to the government, to the People's Assembly, to the people? [00:08:46] What complaints do you have? [00:09:17] as the southern region, and at the level of [00:09:21] Quneitra Governorate entirely, and Daraa – we do not exclude [00:09:24] Daraa either – are currently living [00:09:28] our worst conditions. To anyone who asks about our conditions, we are living [00:09:31] in our worst state today, as a result of [00:09:35] the ongoing incursions, as a result of the arbitrary [00:09:39] measures by [00:09:53] an oppressed people. I said it [00:09:56] before, and I repeat it today, [00:09:59] that we have never tasted freedom at all, from [00:10:03] the era of the defunct regime to a new era [00:10:07] in which the most heinous types and forms [00:10:10] of criminality are perpetrated against us by [00:10:46] and on behalf of the families of the abducted [00:10:50] detained in Israeli occupation prisons, firstly, [00:10:53] and on behalf of the suffering of farmers [00:10:57] and peasants from Quneitra Governorate in general, [00:11:00] the border villages with the Alpha line. [00:11:03] Quneitra Governorate suffers from many [00:11:07] difficulties, the most important of which are the entity's [00:11:10] incursions and the detention of sons, numbering [00:11:14] 38 detainees as of [00:11:16] today. How are the incursions affecting [00:11:29] what is happening. Now, the incursions [00:11:32] people. This will force you to change [00:11:35] your route so you don't face these patrols, you might be subjected [00:11:38] to searching, and after searching, you might be subjected to humiliation or [00:11:42] detention. They are humiliating people. Yes, most [00:11:45] of the people of Quneitra Governorate or Jubatha Al-Khashab village [00:11:49] going to their fields. [00:11:53] There is an area of about 15 dunams planted with olive trees [00:11:56] and fruit trees that have not been harvested as of [00:11:59] today. [00:12:02] matter. We call upon the United [00:12:05] Nations, first, entity [00:12:09] to release [00:12:12] the detainees first, and to release the orchards that are being held. [00:12:16] Uh, [00:12:18] also, in addition to bulldozing vast areas that [00:12:21] the town and village of Jubatha Al-Khashab suffered from, [00:12:25] including its natural [00:13:04] every prisoner or detainee in Quneitra [00:13:08] Governorate, there is a story, a story of a thousand and one nights. [00:13:12] So we appeal to the local community, [00:13:15] to His Excellency the President, [00:13:18] and we appeal to the free people of the world and advocates of humanity [00:13:21] to help us secure the release of our children [00:13:25] from prisons. Do you have someone detained? My son has been detained for one year and 11 [00:13:28] months. His son has been detained for one year and 11 months. How old [00:13:32] was he when they detained him? He was 24 years old. Now he is [00:13:35] 26 years old. Why was he detained? Do you have any idea? No news. What [00:13:39] information do you get about him? What do you know about him? Ofer Prison. That's the [00:13:43] only news we got, that he's in Ofer Prison. Were you able to contact him? No. [00:13:46] Were you able to talk to anyone from the government to ask about him? We asked everywhere. [00:13:50] What do they tell you? No answer. No [00:13:53] answer. We are trying, we are trying. These [00:14:07] they are leaving these people to face [00:14:10] the enemy with bare chests, with bare [00:14:14] chests. We have nothing to face the enemy. The [00:14:17] Israeli enemy was entrenched [00:14:44] by Israel. I am from rural Damascus. My grandson is [00:14:48] 17 years old. He has been abducted by the occupation for one year and four [00:14:51] months. He is a school student, and not just him, all [00:14:55] those abducted by the occupation. And we have appealed to states and appealed [00:14:58] to every person with a living conscience to demand our children, and no one has responded [00:15:02] to our plea. I appeal to all countries of the world and hold them [00:15:06] responsible. The Syrian state's [00:15:09] rights are violated by the whole world, and a small [00:15:12] group from the occupation attacks our land, our children, and our [00:15:16] country, and takes our children from their homes. By what right? Where [00:15:19] are the countries of the world? Where are human rights? Where is [00:15:22] the legitimacy that includes human rights? We don't see any of this. [00:15:25] So we want our children back from the occupation, and may God reward you. [00:15:29] How old was her son? He was [00:15:32] 17 years old, a student in school. Why was [00:15:35] he detained? By God, we don't know, my son. They kidnapped him, not detained him. This [00:15:39] is a kidnapping. Yes, these occupation forces kidnap, they don't take them from [00:16:09] God willing, what the sister raised is truly يعني اييه [00:16:13] there is great interest from the government. [00:16:16] Of course, these violations and these [00:16:19] abductions carried out by the Israeli [00:16:22] occupation are documented and submitted through the Governor [00:16:26] to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of course, then submitted to international bodies, [00:16:30] whether the Security Council or international organizations. [00:16:33] Many international organizations have visited the governorate [00:16:37] here and met with the guardians of the abducted [00:16:41] and detained, and many messages have been sent to [00:16:44] all United Nations organizations [00:16:48] and the Security Council, even the President of the Security Council [00:16:51] visited Damascus and met with the Governor and some [00:16:55] representatives of the people of Quneitra, and they presented to him these [00:16:58] violations and these arrests, the unbelievable [00:17:01] reality that is outside international [00:17:05] least the simplest matters in international law, stipulate that guardians [00:17:09] should know the fate of their children, and also [00:17:12] the charges against them. And these messages have indeed [00:17:15] been sent. There is no way other than the diplomatic [00:17:19] way. Every violation, every [00:17:22] infringement, and every arrest reaches [00:17:26] the highest levels, even to the President, daily, documented through [00:17:29] media colleagues, through district directors, [00:17:32] through the police, it reaches the Governor. [00:17:35] The Governor addresses [00:17:41] Mr. Muhammad, regarding the families, for example, documentation, but documentation also means [00:17:43] notifying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through diplomatic [00:17:47] channels, of course, contacts the United Nations [00:17:50] and international organizations. So, we understand we are putting [00:17:53] diplomatic pressure. Right? Other than diplomatic pressure, are we able to do anything in these [00:17:57] circumstances? In fact, no. We follow, [00:18:06] compensation, providing [00:18:08] aid, [00:18:10] providing conditions for them to be able to endure in these [00:18:14] circumstances? I mean, [00:18:17] we met with them, it was truly consoling, consoling [00:18:20] aid, very simple aid for these [00:18:23] guardians. I mean, can you compensate a mother for [00:18:27] the loss of her son? I mean, is it possible that there is no [00:18:30] support? Are you satisfied with the government's [00:18:44] the martyrs of the blessed Syrian revolution, [00:18:47] the martyrs whose blood's fragrance permeates [00:18:50] everywhere, and without whose [00:18:56] meeting be taking place. The truth is, [00:18:59] I mean, it goes without saying that Quneitra [00:19:02] Governorate, unfortunately, [00:19:04] with the [00:19:07] end of the defunct regime and [00:19:10] with liberation, did not enjoy, like [00:19:13] other governorates, freedom [00:19:16] due to these Israeli incursions that [00:19:20] began [00:19:23] regime, which they worked to entrench and build [00:19:26] for more than half a century, and which was a faithful [00:19:30] guardian of their borders throughout... Dr. Tariq, my [00:19:33] question is specific. You heard the procedures that Mr. Muhammad Saeed mentioned. [00:19:44] first of all, as members of the People's Assembly, our role is supervisory. [00:19:47] Uh, we follow up with [00:19:51] the government on the procedures that [00:19:54] they can take to follow up on [00:19:57] the affairs of [00:20:00] Syrians. [00:20:04] international parliaments. [00:20:06] Today, there was a delegation from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and this [00:20:10] problem was raised. We are talking about the Inter-Parliamentary Union delegation today about the problem. Yes, this [00:20:14] problem was raised. Will an action be taken after that, or did we just talk to them and that's it? [00:20:17] Uh, dear Doctor, parliamentary [00:20:21] actions are recommendations, [00:20:24] and we promised to convey these [00:20:27] recommendations and these matters [00:20:31] and these violations to the countries they represent. Also, [00:20:35] a short while ago, there was [00:20:38] the Arab Parliament, and this [00:20:41] our Arab brothers. [00:20:44] What is required is to internationalize this [00:20:46] issue always, [00:20:50] shedding light on the violations that occur [00:20:53] there. There are [00:20:56] ongoing discussions, although they are currently [00:20:59] suspended, for signing the security [00:21:02] agreement, and this [00:21:05] include the release of all [00:21:09] abductees. our brothers [00:21:13] in the government and in the governorate [00:21:17] the families, [00:21:20] to help as much as possible with daily matters, with [00:21:23] life matters, but the most important issue is to work for the liberation of these [00:21:26] abductees. How often do you, as members of the People's Assembly, meet with the families in Quneitra to learn [00:21:30] their needs, specifically the families of [00:21:34] no, I mean, there is no specific timetable, but we are present on the land [00:21:38] of the governorate permanently. Weekly, we make [00:21:41] visits [00:21:44] to the directorates in the governorate. We meet with the families. [00:21:48] We follow up with them. I think there's a bit of a breakdown. [00:21:51] the government or from the People's Assembly, no matter what we do, there will be [00:21:55] shortcomings, for sure. The Parliament in the previous period [00:21:58] held, I mean, in fact, the issue of Quneitra [00:22:02] and the violations are on the agenda [00:22:05] of the People's Assembly permanently. [00:22:08] A while ago, about two weeks [00:22:11] or a little more, there was a large parliamentary [00:22:15] delegation on the governorate's land. It might have been the largest delegation from the People's [00:22:18] Assembly to the governorate. It was not just a [00:22:22] protocol visit at all, but it was to examine [00:22:26] the reality of the governorate, to examine the needs. What happened after that? [00:22:29] I mean, we examined and then we went back, what did we do? Okay. [00:22:33] There were recommendations [00:22:36] the ministers who visited the governorate [00:22:39] and made promises, whether in the health sector, the agriculture [00:22:43] sector, or the education sector. [00:22:46] Communication to implement these promises on the ground. It has actually [00:22:50] started. We now see a development, [00:22:53] I mean, a decent one, in Golan Hospital, which is the only hospital [00:22:57] in the governorate. There is serious [00:23:00] work on developing health [00:23:10] An MRI machine will be, I mean, we [00:23:14] are still talking about something very, very small compared [00:23:39] want to move away from the term "violations." The word "violations" is no longer sufficient. [00:23:43] The word "incursion" is no longer sufficient. The issue has become bigger [00:23:48] people. There have been attacks. [00:23:50] I mean, we must call the matter an "attack" because the matter has [00:23:54] become, I mean, it goes beyond the issue of an incursion [00:23:57] for an hour or two, because people [00:24:00] have started to suffer in their livelihood, in their financial situation, [00:24:02] in all aspects of their lives. What has changed [00:24:06] in the past period, we mean, [00:24:09] almost since June, Quneitra [00:24:12] Governorate has witnessed a change in [00:24:14] the treatment of the army, the Israeli [00:24:18] occupation army. When it enters a [00:24:21] village or a certain town, there has [00:24:25] been, I mean, beating of young men. [00:24:28] We noticed this. Yes, yes, and insults and humiliations. [00:24:31] Yes, insults and humiliations. I mean, the day before yesterday, [00:24:35] we witnessed a case where they put [00:24:38] a sign on one of the poles in the northern sector saying that more than three cars [00:24:42] are prohibited from passing, otherwise they will be targeted. I mean, what more [00:24:46] violation and aggression do you want on civilian life than that? I mean, [00:24:50] what more is there [00:24:53] to describe the situation more clearly? The incursion is no longer, [00:24:57] I mean, the word "incursion" is no longer sufficient. The word "violation" is no [00:25:00] longer sufficient. This is a blatant attack on people. A solution must [00:25:04] be found for these people, for their living conditions. There is severe [00:25:08] difficulty, very, very very difficult. I mean, [00:25:11] the matter has exceeded people's [00:25:15] there? No, absolutely not. Some people [00:25:19] circulated the news some time ago that there was emigration and [00:25:29] left. Okay, speaking of the fact that there was talk some time ago in the media, do you think [00:25:33] it is fair to the people of [00:25:40] to the Ministry of Information. I would address this to the Quneitra Information Directorate. [00:25:44] Finding solutions and developing plans [00:25:46] to cover the work, meaning [00:25:50] media work covering and adopting, [00:25:53] adopting independent media [00:25:56] as media that fully carries the cause, [00:26:00] because we, independent media, are also doing [00:26:03] tremendous work. But where are they? Why don't we hear their voice? Independent media, we don't hear their voice [00:26:06] because the voice is not reaching. Why is it not [00:26:10] reaching? It's not reaching because, in my opinion, in my personal opinion, the Ministry [00:26:14] of Information should, [00:26:17] in other words, internationalize these individuals. How do you mean internationalize them? [00:26:21] I mean, it is supposed that we should develop a systematic [00:26:24] work plan towards southern Syria. Mr. Ahmed, is the media falling short or not [00:26:28] falling short? This is my question. Yes, falling short. Why? Why do you think [00:26:31] it's falling short? It's falling short. [00:26:37] The reason for the shortcoming, first of all, I mean, it's not concerned with individuals, but it's concerned with the reality [00:26:40] of the governorate, with the reality [00:26:43] of the Israeli incursion, with the reality of [00:26:47] their violations and attacks. I mean, we might see an incursion in the northern [00:26:51] sector now, and a quarter of an hour later, we find an incursion in the southern sector. [00:26:54] I mean, this issue... My question, Ahmed, why [00:26:57] do you think journalists are not giving enough attention [00:27:00] to this? What are their reasons? Well, we, the independent journalists, [00:27:04] honestly, are thanked for their efforts, but the official media... Do you [00:27:07] think it is? The official media, no, in my opinion, it is not covering [00:27:11] fully. Why, Mr. Muhammad, do you think the official media is not [00:27:14] covering? First of all, do you agree with him that the official media is not covering what [00:27:17] is happening in Quneitra as it should, or in fact, no, I do not agree with him. [00:27:21] Why? Because the media, in fact, the journalists on the ground in the governorate are [00:27:26] cases, fire and shells have been launched at journalists to [00:27:30] perform their role, to deliver their message. I mean, they are exposed to very great [00:27:34] dangers. Within meters, do you think [00:27:37] that the independent journalists are doing their duty more [00:27:41] than the government media? No, both independent and government [00:27:45] media. In fact, government [00:27:48] And in many cases, and there might be journalists present here, present, [00:27:52] and they were subjected to shell fire, not gunfire, I mean, [00:27:55] bullets. Shells were launched at them. And [00:28:03] the journalists are left alone, I mean, they were exposed to shells, but [00:28:07] God protect you, young men. But other than "God protect you," we have nothing to offer them. [00:28:11] What was necessary? Is there support, for example? Are they provided with [00:28:14] equipment? Is there support for them so their coverage can reach? [00:28:18] Does what they're filming always reach sufficiently? What's [00:28:21] your opinion, Dr. Tariq? [00:28:24] My opinion is, [00:28:27] as Sheikh Mohammed said, journalists [00:28:31] are doing a heroic job in, you know, [00:28:35] filming violations and facing [00:28:39] dangers, and their [00:28:42] lives are truly at risk. But they need a lot of support. Yes, [00:28:46] least they need modern equipment. [00:28:50] Most of them use their personal mobile phones [00:28:53] for filming, with simple [00:28:55] standpoint, they must be supported. As for more than that, [00:28:58] honestly, journalistic work is always [00:29:16] since the beginning of the fall of the Assad regime until today, we have documented more [00:29:20] than 3350 violations in this area. [00:29:24] Israeli attacks, 35 martyrs [00:29:29] the Israeli occupation, 35 [00:29:32] martyrs. 35 martyrs. Of course, not to mention [00:29:35] the shelling that we have documented, not to mention the incursions [00:29:38] that are happening in the region's lands. The Israeli occupation forces have seized [00:29:42] thousands of hectares of Syrian lands via the Sofa road. Of course, [00:29:46] the Sofa road has been there [00:29:49] since approximately November 10, 2022. It was [00:29:53] the entry of the first Israeli military bulldozer [00:29:57] west of the town of Jubbat Al-Khashab, and they put up this sign, and until today, [00:30:00] this Sofa road is still in place. South of Quneitra Governorate, [00:30:04] specifically west of the town of Al-Rafid, extending to [00:30:07] Sidon Al-Hanout, this area is seizing [00:30:09] lands. In the past period, we saw [00:30:13] an Israeli tank enter a farm, [00:30:16] which ran over or flattened nearly 700 trees [00:30:20] that were 20 years old. A farm. So, did you [00:30:23] document, professor, did you document these stories and did they reach the media [00:30:27] as they should? We, as independent journalists, are working [00:30:30] and risking our lives. Of course, we were subjected [00:30:34] to gunfire, we were subjected to bombing even from [00:30:37] Israeli drone aircraft. [00:30:40] A shell was fired at us when we were documenting one of the violations in the Beit Jann area. [00:30:44] Also, we are trying as much as possible, as Dr. [00:30:47] Tariq mentioned, with tools that we can use [00:30:51] to get information out. The camera cannot. [00:30:54] Syrian government? As an independent journalist, until now, I have not seen [00:30:58] any support from the Syrian government.