The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has approved a plan to double the population in the annexed section of the Syrian Golan Heights. The decision follows Israel’s takeover of the previously UN-supervised neutral zone in the area, after the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on 8 December.
The government unanimously approved the plan, which includes funding of 40 million shekels (€10.6 million), for the “demographic development” of Golan communities and the city of Katzrin. According to Netanyahu’s office, the plan reflects the ongoing conflict in Syria and the desire to increase the population in the Golan Heights.
Netanyahu stated that the decision strengthens the communities in the Golan and supports the state of Israel. While emphasising that Israel has no interest in engaging in further conflict with Syria, he indicated that the country’s policy toward Syria would depend on developments on the ground.
He further highlighted the strategic importance of Israel’s presence in the Golan Heights, which provides oversight of Galilee’s hills and the Sea of Galilee. Netanyahu has previously said that the annexed section of the Golan will remain Israeli “forever.”
Currently, approximately 30,000 Israelis live in 34 communities in the annexed Golan Heights, alongside 23,000 Druze residents. Most Druze identify as Syrians but hold Israeli residency.
Israel seized part of the Golan Heights from south-western Syria during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and annexed it in 1981. The annexation has only been recognised by the United States during Donald Trump’s presidency in 2019.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar condemned the Israeli government’s plan. Saudi Arabia referred to it as an act undermining opportunities to restore security and stability in Syria, while Qatar called it a blatant violation of international law.
Netanyahu stated last week that the annexed Golan Heights would remain Israeli. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz instructed troops to prepare to stay in the neutral zone throughout the winter, presenting the move as a defensive measure.
Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria in recent years, targeting chemical weapon depots, air defence systems, naval vessels, and military aircraft. According to Israeli authorities, these strikes aim to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of Islamist groups that now control Syria.
Also read: Relentless Israeli airstrikes target military facilities in Tartus
Photo source: Reuters
Source: ANA-MPA-AFP
