According to RT, on December 12, the Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman affirmed that the country's army will not withdraw from the UN-controlled buffer zone between Israel and Syria.
This message was issued shortly after France, the United Nations, and many countries in the region called on Israel to withdraw its troops from the demilitarized zone.
On December 11, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the Israeli army will establish a temporary “safe zone” in southern Syria to prevent “terrorist threats” following the collapse of former President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The demilitarized zone (DMZ) was established in 1974 under the Armistice Agreement between Israel and Syria, under the supervision of the United Nations. However, this area is believed to have been occupied by the Israeli army.
In addition, much of the Golan Heights, which used to be Syrian territory, has been controlled by Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War.
In a statement on December 10, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that Israel will “forever” maintain control over the Golan Heights, affirming that it is “an inseparable part” of the Jewish State.
France and the United Nations strongly criticized the move, calling it a violation of international agreements and calling on Israel to respect Syria's sovereignty.
However, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein asserted: “These actions are necessary to ensure safety against threats from jihadist groups operating in the border area.”
Also on December 12, Mr. Netanyahu said that although the deployment of troops in the buffer zone is only temporary, Israel will maintain this presence until security in the border area is guaranteed.
In recent days, Israel has carried out some 480 airstrikes targeting weapons depots and naval vessels belonging to the army of former President Bashar al-Assad, to prevent the opposition from taking advantage of these weapons before taking full control of the area.
While the international community continues to criticize, representatives of the Syrian opposition have stopped short of condemning Israel’s actions. Instead, they have expressed their desire for international recognition, according to an interview with Channel 4 on December 12.
