Quneitra crossing between Israel, Syria reopens after 4 years of closure

The Quneitra border crossing between Israel and Syria was reopened on Monday after it was closed for more than four years because of the civil war in Syria, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

During the war, the crossing was temporarily taken over by the rebels.

Only in recent months has the Syrian army succeeded in recapturing the area, paving the way for the reopening of the crossing, with the consent of Israel, Syria and the United Nations.

The crossing was used for goods and people passing between the two countries. It is located in a demilitarized zone that has been divided between the two countries since an agreement on disengagement was signed in 1974.

In the first stage, the crossing will be used by UN soldiers only and in the near future is expected to gradually open to others.

The Quneitra crossing is the only land crossing between Israel and Syria and serves mainly the Druze population on the Golan Heights region, on both sides of the border.

Over the past decades, the crossing has been used as a trade station for apples that the Druze have picked in the area.

The crossing also served for Druze students who had gone to study in Syria, Druze brides who had come to marry young Druze in Israel and vice versa. In addition, it was used for the passing of clerics.

In August 2014, during the civil war in Syria, the rebels captured the Syrian side of the crossing. As a result, the UN observers in the area were forced to abandon their base, leading to the closure of the crossing.