“Israel is about to double the population in the occupied Golan Heights due to threats from Syria Israel is investing 40 million shekels to increase the population in the occupied Golan Heights due to threats from Syria. The plan was announced after the removal of Bashar al-Assad and the coming to power of a new leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa.”, — write on: unn.ua
Details
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced this decision on December 16. He stated that “strengthening the Golan is strengthening the state of Israel.”
The plan calls for an investment of more than 40 million shekels ($11 million) to stimulate population growth. Israel has controlled most of the Golan Heights since 1967, after the Six-Day War, and officially annexed them in 1981. However, the annexation was not recognized by most countries of the world, and Syria insists on returning the territories.
Israel does not seek conflict with Syria, but is forced to respond to potential threats, including the presence of terrorist groups near its borders. At the same time, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said that the recent events in Syria have increased the risks for the region, despite the statements of the rebels about their moderation, Netanyahu emphasized.
Addition
Syria’s new leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, said Israel was using “false pretexts” to justify attacks on Syria. At the same time, he noted that his government is not interested in new conflicts, because the main priority remains the restoration of the country after a long war.
Israel’s decision drew condemnation from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The UAE, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020, called the decision “a deliberate attempt to expand the occupation.”
After the fall of the Assad regime, Israel occupied the demilitarized zone on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, including a section of Mount Hermon that hosted an abandoned Syrian military post. Although the Israeli side assures that this is a temporary measure to guarantee security, the country also continues to strike weapons depots in Syria to prevent their use by rebel groups.
About 31,000 Israelis and another 24,000 people, most of whom identify as Syrians, currently live in the Golan Heights. Israel’s new plan aims to increase the number of settlers, which could exacerbate international disputes over the strategic region.
We will remind
The Prime Minister of Israel declared the inseparability of the Golan Heights to Israel after the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. Netanyahu emphasized the strategic importance of the region and thanked the US for recognizing the annexation.