Quneitra

Quneitra ٱلْقُنَيطْرَة
View of the destroyed city
Quneitra Location of Quneitra within Syria Show map of Syria Quneitra Location of Quneitra within Golan Heights, Syria Show map of the Golan Heights
Coordinates: 33°07′N 35°49′E / 33.117°N 35.817°E / 33.117; 35.817
Country	Syria
Governorate	Quneitra
District	Quneitra
Subdistrict	Quneitra
Region	Golan Heights
Settled	around 1000 CE
Resettled	1873
Destroyed	1974
Government
• Governor	Ahmad Sheikh Abdul-Qader
Elevation [1]	1,010 m (3,313 ft)
Population  (2004 census[2])
• City	153
• Metro	4,318
Demonym(s)	Arabic: قنيطراوي, Qunayṭrawi or Qunayṭirawi
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Area code	43
Website	eQunaytra

Quneitra (also Al Qunaytirah, Qunaitira, or Kuneitra; Arabic: ٱلْقُنَيْطِرَة or ٱلْقُنَيطْرَة, al-Qunayṭrah or al-Qunayṭirah pronounced [æl qʊˈneɪ̯tˁ(ɨ)rɑ]) is the largely destroyed and abandoned capital of the Quneitra Governorate in south-western Syria. It is situated in a high valley in the Golan Heights at 1,010 metres (3,313 feet)^[1] above sea level. Since 1974, pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 350 and the Agreement on Disengagement between Israel and Syria, the city is inside the UN-patrolled buffer zone.

Quneitra was founded in the Ottoman era as a way station on the caravan route to Damascus and subsequently became a garrison town of some 20,000 people. In 1946, it became part of the independent Syrian Republic within the Riff Dimashq Governorate and in 1964 became the capital of the split Quneitra Governorate.^[3] On 10 June 1967, the last day of the Six-Day War, Quneitra came under Israeli control.^[4] It was briefly recaptured by Syria during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, but Israel regained control in its subsequent counter-offensive. The city was almost completely destroyed by Israel before it withdrew in June 1974. Syria later refused to rebuild the city and actively discouraged resettlement in the area. Israel was heavily criticized by the United Nations for the city's destruction,^[5] while Israel has also criticized Syria for not rebuilding Quneitra.^[6]

In 2004, its population was estimated at 153 persons, with some 4,000 more living in the surrounding areas of the former city.

During the Syrian Civil War, Quneitra became a clash point between rebel forces and Syrian Arab Army. Between 2014 and July 2018,^[7] Quneitra was de facto controlled by the Southern Front, a Syrian rebel alliance. By the end of July 2018, Syrian Government forces regained control over the city.^[8][9]