Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday evening that Israeli army forces will remain in Syria's buffer zone indefinitely. During a press conference held in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu emphasized that the forces will stay on the Syrian Hermon Mount, also known as "Jabal al-Sheikh," for an unlimited period of time.
According to Anadolu Agency, Netanyahu demanded the complete demilitarization of southern Syria, specifically mentioning the Quneitra, Daraa, and Suweyda provinces. He declared that Israel would not permit the new Syrian army to advance into territories south of Damascus, citing concerns over potential threats to the Druze community in southern Syria.
Following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December, Israel extended its occupation of the Golan Heights by capturing the demilitarized buffer zone, in violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria. The Israeli military has also increased airstrikes targeting Syrian military positions, a move that has been condemned by the United Nations and several Arab nations.
Netanyahu further stated that the Israeli army would maintain its presence in several outposts in southern Lebanon until the Lebanese army and government meet all obligations set by an existing agreement. A ceasefire agreement has been in place in Lebanon since November 27, which ended months of cross-border conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel was expected to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by January 26, but the deadline was extended to February 18 following Israel's refusal to comply. Although the Israeli military withdrew from southern Lebanese towns last week, it continues to occupy five border outposts.
Regarding the Israeli military's actions in the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu stated that the army would remain in Palestinian cities "as long as it takes." The deployment of tanks in the northern West Bank on Sunday marked the first such movement since 2002 amidst an ongoing military escalation in the region. Since the start of military operations last month, at least 61 people have been killed, and thousands displaced.
The Palestinian Health Ministry reports that since the onset of the onslaught against the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, at least 923 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 7,000 injured due to attacks by the Israeli army and illegal settlers in the West Bank.