Israel's Golan Heights move sparks Arab backlash, tensions
Smoke billows on the outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus following Israeli airstrikes on December 9, 2024. (AFP Photo)
December 10, 2024 01:18 PM GMT+03:00
Israel’s recent military actions in Syria’s Golan Heights have escalated tensions in the region, with Arab countries condemning Israel’s occupation of a demilitarized buffer zone, claiming it violates international law and Syria’s sovereignty.
Details
- Military incursion: Israeli troops have advanced approximately 25 km into southern Syria, reaching Qatana, 10 km inside Syrian territory, east of the Golan Heights demilitarized zone. The Israeli military declined to comment.
- Arab responses:
- Egypt calls the move a violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement and a breach of Syria’s territorial integrity.
- Saudi Arabia accuses Israel of sabotaging Syria’s chances for stability.
- Qatar warns the seizure will lead to further violence and tension in the region.
- Kuwait, Jordan, and Iraq all strongly condemned Israel’s actions, citing violations of international law and U.N. resolutions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a cabinet meeting on November 24, 2024. (Screen grab/GPO)Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem on December 9, 2024. - Netanyahu said on December 9 that the occupied Golan Heights would remain Israeli "for eternity", days after he ordered troops into an adjacent UN buffer zone in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. (Photo by Maya Alleruzzo / POOL / AFP)
- Netanyahu's Stance: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the Golan Heights will remain Israeli "for eternity," despite claims by Israel's foreign minister that the takeover was temporary.
What’s next
- International call for action: Arab nations urge the international community to take a firm stance against Israel’s actions, stressing the importance of respecting Syria’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
- U.S. response: The Biden administration did not directly condemn Israel’s move but stated that it should not be permanent.
December 10, 2024 01:18 PM GMT+03:00
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