On Sunday, the Israeli government approved a plan to expand settlements on the occupied Golan Heights, saying “in light of the war and the new front-facing Syria” the country examples the power vacuum next door and within its borders to strengthen security consolidation and speed up its plans over settlement growth.
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“Strengthening the Golan is strengthening the State of Israel, and it is especially important at this time. We will continue to hold onto it, cause it to blossom, and settle in it,” said the Prime Minister in a statement.
Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes across Syria and launched a land incursion that stretches over the occupied Golan Heights into a previously demilitarized buffer zone since the Islamist rebels overthrew the decades-long Assad family regime on December 8. The Israeli army quickly occupied abandoned army positions, while most of Syria’s military capabilities had already been decimated through air assaults.
Since last week, Syria’s new effective leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, slammed what he qualified as Israel’s “uncalculated military adventures” since his rebel group took power but added he was more interested in state-making than opening another stage of conflict. Interviewed over Syria TV, he added, “Syria’s war-tired condition after years of fighting and wars does not allow new confrontations. Priority at this stage is reconstruction and stability, not being dragged into issues that might lead to further destruction.”
And so overnight more airstrikes were launched. According to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz Sunday, the defense budget must be increased given the growing threats, even with the so-called moderate appearance of rebel leaders.
Here’s what else to know
- Geir O. Pedersen, the U.N. envoy to Syria, has advocated for an inclusive political transition in the country while visiting the Syrian capital of Damascus. He made the statement on Sunday before meetings with Syria’s caretaker government, saying that change indeed brings great expectations, but we all know that, as he said, there are many challenges still ahead of us.
- On Sunday, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler declared that at the top of its agenda, his country would devote more effort to fighting against Kurdish forces in Syria and would offer military assistance to the newly established government.
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the U.S. officials had been in very close touch with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, and I hope the interim Syrian authority has agreed with a set of principles for providing support and recognition by any future Syrian government. Blinken also calls out the destruction of chemical weapons stockpiles.
- He said on Saturday “that everyone would convey” that fact as he was visiting. For the importance of finding Austin Tice, who has been out for the past 12 years since he was kidnapped near Damascus, he added.
- The states, Turkey, as well as other Middle Eastern and Western countries out with a statement on Saturday, which essentially put the message that the transition political process in Syria should be led by and owned by Syrians, and thus must produce an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government.
FAQs
1. What is the Golan Heights?
The Golan Heights is a strategic plateau located in southwestern Syria, near Israel’s northern border. Israel captured it from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and effectively annexed it in 1981, a move not widely recognized internationally.
2. Why is Israel expanding settlements in the Golan Heights?
The Israeli government often cites security concerns, strategic advantages, and economic opportunities as reasons for settlement expansion. They also emphasize its importance for agriculture, energy projects, and population growth in northern Israel.
3. What does international law say about this expansion?
Under international law, the Golan Heights is considered occupied territory, and settlements are viewed as a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention. However, Israel disputes this interpretation, arguing historical and security-based claims to the area.
4. How has the international community responded?
Most countries, including Syria and several UN bodies, oppose Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights, considering them illegal. The United States, however, recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the area in 2019 under the Trump administration.
5. What impact does this have on Israeli-Syrian relations?
The expansion of settlements intensifies tensions between Israel and Syria, which still claims sovereignty over the Golan Heights. It also complicates prospects for any future peace negotiations.