Israel remains open to reaching an agreement with Syria, but insists that Damascus must demilitarize its southern border regions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized this position in comments released by his office.
“We expect Syria to create a demilitarized buffer zone from Damascus to the existing buffer area in the Golan Heights, which naturally must include the approaches to and the summit of Mount Hermon,” Netanyahu stated.
He explained that Israel's control over certain border areas, which were previously held by the Syrian army prior to the December 2024 change of power in Damascus, is necessary for security. “We are holding these territories to ensure the safety of Israeli citizens, and that is our duty. With goodwill and a shared understanding of these principles, an agreement with the Syrians can be reached. But in any case, we will stand by our principles,” he added.
Netanyahu made these remarks while visiting a hospital near Tel Aviv, where he met with Israeli soldiers wounded during a recent operation on Syrian territory.
On November 28, the Israeli military conducted airstrikes and artillery fire on the Syrian town of Beit Jinn. The incident began when an Israeli patrol entered the area, leading to clashes with local residents. Syria TV reported over 20 fatalities from the strikes. The Israeli army stated its actions were in response to an earlier attack on its forces by a group affiliated with the Palestinian group Hamas.
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Photo: Official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS