WATCH: Protests erupt in Syria’s Bosra al-Sham: “Netanyahu, you pig, Syria cannot be divided!”

Eralier today (Monday), the ancient streets of Bosra al-Sham in southern Syria’s Daraa Governorate erupted in fiery protests, with crowds hurling insults at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and vowing to keep their war-torn nation whole. “Netanyahu you pig, Syria cannot be divided!” echoed through the air, as reported by Israeli journalist Roi Kais of Kan 11 News, capturing a raw wave of anger sweeping the region. The chants, caught on video and buzzing across social media, signal a brewing storm in a land already battered by over a decade of conflict.

Roi Kais shared footage of demonstrators waving the independence flag and shouting slogans like “Syria is free, free, Israel get out!”

What Sparked the Fury?

The outrage stems from Netanyahu’s bold statements yesterday (Sunday), delivered at a military graduation ceremony. With Israel’s forces entrenched in a UN buffer zone near the Golan Heights—seized after Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels in December 2024—he demanded the “full demilitarization” of Syria’s Quneitra, Daraa, and Sweida provinces.

Calling it a “temporary defensive measure” against HTS, a former al-Qaeda offshoot now ruling Syria, Netanyahu vowed Israeli troops would stay until a security deal was locked in. But his hints at a fragmented Syria—backed by reports of Israel eyeing Kurdish and Druze enclaves—lit a match in Daraa’s powder keg.

Bosra al-Sham, just 140 kilometers south of Damascus, isn’t new to rebellion. Dubbed the “cradle of the Syrian revolution,” it’s been a hotbed of resistance since 2011, even after Assad’s forces crushed it in 2018 with Russia’s help. Now, with HTS in power and Israel flexing its muscle, locals see Netanyahu’s words as a power grab on a nation already bleeding—over 500,000 dead and millions displaced since the war began.

The protests are rippling across Daraa’s countryside—Tafas, Nawa, and beyond—uniting a Sunni majority long battered by war and neglect. It’s a rare moment of cohesion in a fractured land, aimed squarely at Israel’s doorstep.

The Bigger Picture: Syria’s Chaos Meets Israel’s Ambitions

Israel’s move into the Golan buffer zone followed Assad’s flight to Moscow on December 8, 2024, when HTS stormed Damascus, ending his family’s decades-long rule. Netanyahu frames it as defense against HTS, which Israel and the West label a terrorist group. Recent Israeli airstrikes on Syrian military sites—coupled with HTS’s silence on the incursions—have only deepened Syrian suspicions. Defense Minister Israel Katz doubled down today, signaling a long-term presence, while Netanyahu’s demilitarization demand stokes fears of a permanent carve-up.

For Daraa’s people, this isn’t just about HTS or Israel—it’s about survival. The region’s clans, sidelined by Damascus for years, now face a new threat: a foreign power dictating their fate. The chants Kais reported aren’t just insults; they’re a battle cry against losing what little remains of Syria’s sovereignty.

The protests are still ongoing, live and loud, with no word yet from HTS or Syria’s interim leader, Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali. Israel’s stance is unmoved, but the unrest could force a reckoning—either escalating tensions or pushing mediators like Russia or Turkey to step in.

Roi Kais’s scoop, grounded in his street-level insight, has peeled back the curtain on a Syrian fury that’s as old as the war itself. Will this spark a wider revolt or fade into the chaos?