Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that his army would not withdraw from occupied territory in southern Syria, Anadolu Agency reported on Monday.
At a meeting attended by Israeli ambassadors, heads of missions and foreign ministry officials, Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated that Israel has no intention of leaving the occupied territories after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
“We want to preserve these assets,” he said, referring to Jabal al-Sheikh (Mount Hermon) and the buffer zone adjacent to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since 1967.
He said Israel hopes to reach an agreement with the Damascus regime on the demilitarization of southern Syria.
Following the escalation of clashes on November 27 and the fall of the al-Assad regime on December 8, 2024, Israel’s military attacks on Syria intensified.
Israel began destroying military infrastructure left behind by the Syrian army and expanded its occupation of Syria’s Golan Heights.
Israeli forces entered a buffer zone near the Golan Heights and further occupied the area, advancing to within 25 kilometers of Damascus.