Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his government has adopted a clear policy aimed at demilitarizing the region stretching from south of the Syrian capital to the Jabal al-Druze area in southern Syria. This policy was revealed in a recorded statement where Netanyahu outlined Israel's strategic approach in the region.
According to Anadolu Agency, Netanyahu emphasized that this dual-track policy involves demilitarizing the area from the Golan Heights to Jabal al-Druze while ensuring the protection of the Druze communities. The Jabal al-Druze region, also known as Jabal al-Arab or Jabal Hauran, is located in Syria's Suwayda province and consists of numerous towns and villages at significant elevations.
Netanyahu made it clear that Israel will not permit military forces to establish a presence south of Damascus, nor will it allow any harm to come to the Druze population in Jabal al-Druze. He reiterated that the protection of the Druze minority has been a consistent justification for Israel's military operations in southern Syria, including the establishment of a demilitarized buffer zone along its border.
However, Druze leaders in Syria have consistently opposed these claims, issuing statements condemning foreign intervention and expressing their commitment to a unified Syria, rejecting any division or separatism.
In a related development, Netanyahu acknowledged that the Israeli military had targeted Syrian army positions in Suwayda on Wednesday. This action was part of a broader assault, with airstrikes conducted on over 160 targets across four Syrian provinces: Suwayda, Daraa, Damascus, and the surrounding areas. These strikes included hits on the General Staff headquarters and the vicinity of the presidential palace in Damascus.
Despite the lack of a direct threat from Syria's new transitional government, Israel has continued its near-daily air raids in recent months, which have resulted in civilian casualties and the destruction of military sites, equipment, and ammunition. Netanyahu claimed that a ceasefire had been achieved and that Syrian forces had withdrawn to Damascus, asserting that this result was obtained through force, not negotiations.
It is important to note that Israel has occupied most of Syria's Golan Heights since 1967.