Israel takes control of Golan buffer zone following Syrian troop withdrawal

The prime minister of Israel has declared that the nation’s military has taken temporary control of a demilitarized buffer zone located in the Golan Heights. He stated that the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria had “collapsed” due to the rebel seizure of the country. Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed he had directed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to move into the buffer zone and “commanding positions nearby” from the Israeli-occupied sector of the Golan. He asserted, “We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border.” According to a UK-based war monitor, Syrian forces vacated their posts in Quneitra province, a portion of which is situated within the buffer zone, on Saturday. On Sunday, the IDF instructed inhabitants of five Syrian villages located within the zone to remain in their residences until additional directives are issued. The Golan Heights constitutes a rocky plateau situated approximately 60km (40 miles) south-west of Damascus. Israel captured the Golan from Syria during the final phase of the 1967 Six-Day War and unilaterally annexed it in 1981. This action lacked international recognition, though the US unilaterally recognized it in 2019. The Israeli action within the buffer zone occurred subsequent to Syrian rebel combatants seizing the capital, Damascus, and overthrowing Bashar al-Assad’s government. He and his father had governed the nation since 1971. Troops commanded by the Islamist opposition organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) entered Damascus during the early hours of Sunday morning, subsequently appearing on state television to proclaim Syria as now “free”. Netanyahu characterized the downfall of the Assad regime as a “historic day in the Middle East”. He stated, “The collapse of the Assad regime, the tyranny in Damascus, offers great opportunity but also is fraught with significant dangers.” He attributed the developments in Syria to Israeli attacks targeting Iran and the Iran-supported Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, who were allies of Assad. He also maintained that Israel would “send a hand of peace” to Syrians desiring peaceful coexistence with Israel. He described the IDF’s occupation of Syrian positions within the buffer zone as a “temporary defensive position until a suitable arrangement is found”. He added, “If we can establish neighbourly relations and peaceful relations with the new forces emerging in Syria, that’s our desire. But if we do not, we will do whatever it takes to defend the State of Israel and the border of Israel.” Following over a year of conflict in the Middle East, Israel is already fully engaged. However, the rapid progression of events in Syria, its northern neighbor, is expected to cause significant apprehension. The IDF had previously deployed additional forces to the occupied Golan. Under typical circumstances, its directive for residents in several villages to remain indoors, coupled with Israel’s readiness to act if deemed necessary, would be considered highly provocative and sufficient to initiate a conflict. Israel holds particular apprehension regarding who might gain control of Bashar al-Assad’s purported chemical weapons stockpile. Abu Mohammed al-Jolani leads the Syrian rebellion. His familial origins are in the occupied Golan Heights, an area where thousands of Israeli settlers currently reside alongside approximately 20,000 Syrians, predominantly Druze, who remained after its capture. Israel has no intention of relinquishing that territory and is resolute in safeguarding its populace. During the Syrian uprising in 2011, Israel assessed that Assad, notwithstanding his alliance with both Iran and Hezbollah, presented a more favorable prospect than potential successors to his government. Israel will now endeavor to ascertain the future developments in Syria. Like all others, it can only speculate. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.