Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israeli forces will maintain their presence in a newly seized buffer zone in Syria for the foreseeable future. This statement comes amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Hamas over the conflict in Gaza. Netanyahu's comments were made during a visit to Mount Hermon, a strategic peak straddling the border with Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.
"We are holding this assessment in order to decide on the deployment of the IDF in this important place until another arrangement is found that ensures Israel's security," Netanyahu said. Reflecting on his time in the area as a soldier over 50 years ago, he added, "The place hasn't changed... but its importance to Israel's security has only grown in recent years, and especially in recent weeks with the dramatic events that are happening here below us in Syria."
The buffer zone, a 400-square-kilometer demilitarized area created after the 1973 Yom Kippur War, was seized by Israeli forces earlier this month following the collapse of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government. The area has sparked international controversy, with critics accusing Israel of violating a 1974 ceasefire agreement and exploiting the political instability in Syria.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has ordered the military to fortify its presence in the buffer zone. "The summit of the Hermon is the eyes of the state of Israel to identify our enemies who are nearby and far away," Katz stated. An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, clarified that there are no current plans to evacuate the Syrian residents living in villages within the buffer zone.
The United Nations has condemned the move, with spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stating, That agreement "needs to be respected, and occupation is occupation, whether it lasts a week, a month, or a year." Germany's foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, also criticized the occupation, labeling it a violation of international law.
Netanyahu's announcement follows the approval of plans to expand settlements in the Golan Heights, a region Israel annexed in 1981 after capturing it during the Six-Day War in 1967. The annexation has not been recognized by most of the international community, with the exception of the United States.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire-for-hostages agreement with Hamas are intensifying. CIA Director William Burns met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha to facilitate negotiations. While progress has been reported, significant disagreements remain, including the number of hostages to be released and the identities of Palestinian prisoners sought in exchange.
A Palestinian official close to the talks indicated that mediators had narrowed gaps on most clauses of the agreement but noted that Israel had introduced conditions rejected by Hamas. Concerns are also mounting within Hamas that any deal brokered under the Biden administration may not survive the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on January 20, potentially leading to renewed Israeli offensives in Gaza.
