Pro-Palestine protests sweep Syria over Gaza genocide and Al-Aqsa Mosque closure
Syrians in Damascus took to the streets after Friday prayers, staging pro-Palestine protests against Israel’s latest measures targeting Palestinian held in Israeli jails and the continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans condemning Israel’s actions, calling for the liberation of Al-Aqsa and expressing solidarity with Palestinian detainees.
The rally formed part of a wider wave of protests across Syria, as anger grows over Israel’s policies towards Palestinians and its continued wars in the region.
Thousands have taken to the streets nationwide, condemning a new law under Israel’s apartheid legal system allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners - a measure that does not apply to Jews - as well as the continued occupation of Syrian territory.
Demonstrations erupted on Friday afternoon in Damascus and spread across Daraa, Quneitra, Aleppo, Latakia, Homs and Idlib, as well as Palestinian refugee camps including Yarmouk and Khan al-Sheikh.
Protesters gathered in large numbers, staging marches, vigils and student rallies.
At the University of Aleppo, thousands of students filled campus grounds, raising Palestinian and Syrian flags and carrying banners reading, “Palestinian prisoners are not numbers” and “Executing prisoners is a crime against humanity”.
Protesters chanted slogans including "With our souls, with our blood, we will redeem you, Palestine" and "Freedom for the prisoners of Palestine."
The demonstrations also reflected growing anger over Israel’s occupation of southern Syria, particularly near the Golan Heights.
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In Quneitra, where residents face frequent Israeli incursions, some protesters moved towards front-line areas, prompting Israeli forces to fire flares.
On Friday Israeli forces shelled a vehicle in the Quneitra countryside, in southern Syria, killing those inside.
Syria’s foreign ministry condemned the attack as a "flagrant violation of international humanitarian law" and accused Israel of endangering civilian lives.
The ministry called on the international community to act against what it described as "repeated violations".
Protests also broke out in Daraa, where demonstrators waved flags and vowed to support Gaza, linking the struggle of Palestinians with Syria’s own experience of occupation.
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