Syria has strongly condemned the entry of Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz into its southern territory, describing the visit as a direct violation of its national sovereignty. The Syrian foreign ministry issued a statement on Tuesday denouncing Katz’s crossing of the international border, where he met with Israeli occupying troops. Damascus called on the international community to intervene and take the necessary measures to compel Israel to halt these repeated violations of Syrian territorial integrity.
During his visit to the illegally occupied zone, Katz delivered a provocative message directed at the newly established Syrian leadership. According to a statement from his office, Katz asserted that Israel has no intention of withdrawing its forces from Mount Hermon or the established buffer zone in southern Syria. He emphasized that the military presence would remain as long as security threats persist. "We will not leave Mount Hermon or the security zone as long as there are jihadist threats to the State of Israel," Katz declared.
Addressing Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa directly, the Israeli defense minister issued a warning regarding the strategic vantage point. Mount Hermon, a massive cluster of snow-capped peaks situated along the Syria-Lebanon border, overlooks both the Damascus countryside and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Katz stated that when the Syrian president looks up at Mount Hermon from his palace in Damascus and sees Israeli forces, he must understand they are positioned there to defend Israeli communities and borders.
The buffer zone was occupied by Israeli forces late last year, a development that Damascus and various international bodies condemned as a violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. Israel has occupied the majority of the Golan Heights since the 1967 war. Following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024, Israel declared the decades-old Disengagement Agreement null and void, subsequently seizing the buffer zone and other strategic positions, including the Syrian side of Mount Hermon.
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Md. Kazi Bijoy is a dedicated tech enthusiast and content creator with a passion for digital innovation. With years of experience in the tech industry, he specializes in breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand guides. When he isn’t writing, he explores the latest gadgets and researches emerging trends in the digital world.