Jerusalem: Israel will not withdraw its occupation from Syria’s buffer zone in the near future and the Israeli army will remain stationed there. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made this big announcement on Tuesday. He said that the Israeli army will remain present in the ‘buffer zone’ on the Syrian border and especially on the top of Mount Hermon “until some other arrangement is made.” 

Netanyahu said that he himself had reached the top of Mount Hermon as a soldier 53 years ago, but in view of recent events, the importance of this peak for Israel’s security has increased further. Therefore, Israeli soldiers will maintain their occupation in the buffer zone there. For the first time, the Prime Minister of Israel has entered Syrian territory. A few days after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was ousted by rebels, Israel occupied a part of southern Syria bordering the buffer zone ‘Golan Heights’. 

Israel gave instructions to deploy troops

Prime Minister Netanyahu visited the buffer zone with Defense Minister Israel Katz. Katz said that during this time he has instructed the Israeli army to deploy troops there soon, as they may have a long-term presence in this area. Now the Israeli army will maintain its occupation here in the near future.