At least 51 Syrians are held in Israel — Al Jazeera

At least 51 Syrians remain in custody in Israel following arrests carried out by the Israeli military in southern Syria. Al Jazeera reports. Some of the detainees were previously held at the Sde Teiman military facility and were later transferred to Israeli Prison Service facilities, including Ofer, Al-Jalameh and Megiddo. A small number of people were released.

Testimonies of those released

Ahmed, who was detained at a checkpoint in his village, told journalists that he spent more than a year in Israeli detention. According to him, he was kept in handcuffs for 90 days and beaten with sticks. The man also said that he was not interrogated for nearly five months after his detention.

Another released detainee, identified as Mahmoud, said he was detained during a nighttime raid on his home. He claims that during his imprisonment he was forced to sit in a painful position for hours, and that handcuffs and muzzled dogs were used. According to Mahmoud, he was not charged and was not given access to a lawyer.

Al Jazeera contacted the Israeli military for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication. Israel says that its occupation of Syrian territory and incursions deeper into Syria are necessary for security and for the protection of a friendly community. Syrian authorities reject this explanation.

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Shelling and restrictions on peacekeepers

Residents of southern Syria also report checkpoints, raids and artillery shelling of fields that hinder the work of farmers and shepherds. In September, the Syrian organization Sijil, which monitors Israeli activity, recorded 280 violations of the 1974 agreement between Syria and Israel, including incursions, raids, detentions, artillery fire and machine-gun fire.

The UN Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, confirmed that the Israeli military periodically restricts the movement of its personnel. According to the mission, roadblocks and checkpoints prevent peacekeepers from conducting planned patrols within their mandate.

Families of detainees have created a WhatsApp group to exchange information about their relatives. They complain of a lack of legal and financial support and are also organizing local protests over the detentions and raids.