IDF takes control of buffer zone in Syria

Israeli army deployed on Syrian side of Mount Hermon – for good?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday ordered the Israeli army to take control of the demilitarized zone that serves as a buffer between Israel and Syria.

The Syrian side of Mount Hermon was controlled by the Israeli Air Force's elite Shaldag unit, which encountered no resistance during the operation.

The move comes a day after the fall of Damascus to rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly Al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra, and the end of the regime of former President Bashar al -Assad – landmark events this weekend that prompted Israel to deploy its forces to the Syrian side of Mount Hermon as Assad regime soldiers abandoned their posts.

Since rebel forces took control in Syria, the IDF has targeted chemical weapons sites in Damascus and a Hezbollah convoy fleeing to Lebanon. The objective is to prevent the most radical elements among the now former rebels, the Islamists in particular, from seizing it.

Netanyahu said in a statement Sunday during a visit to the Israel-Syria border that the IDF's occupation of the buffer zone was temporary, and extended a “hand of peace” to Israel's new northern neighbor.

The prime minister made the remarks during a visit with Katz and Golan Heights Regional Council Chairman Uri Kellner to an observation point on Mount Bental in the Golan Heights, where they were briefed by the head of the IDF Northern Command, Major General Ori Gordin and the commander of the 210th Division, Brigadier General Yair Peli, on the developments in Syria, the reinforcement of the units of IDF on the Syrian border and combat readiness for future operations.

Israel, Syria's long-time neighbor and adversary, is also plunged into uncertainty. Assad's fall comes after several of his regional partners were weakened in Israel's multi-front war, which began with Hamas' invasion on October 7, 2023.

Beyond that, Israeli leaders are broadcasting optimism about the fall of Assad, a key Iran ally, while preparing for the rise of the jihadist-linked group that toppled him.

Events continue to unfold rapidly in Syria and the region.

“This is a historic day for the Middle East”commented Mr. Netanyahu. “ The collapse of the Assad regime, the tyranny of Damascus, offers great opportunities but also carries grave dangers”at-il having you.

Netanyahu said rebel victory was “direct result” of Israel's energetic action against Hezbollah and Iran, Assad's main supporters, which triggered a chain reaction.

“This also means that we must take action against possible threats,” he declared. “One of them is the collapse of the 1974 separation of forces agreement between Israel and Syria. This agreement lasted 50 years. Last night he collapsed. The Syrian army abandoned its positions. We have ordered the Israeli army to retake these positions to ensure that no hostile forces establish themselves right next to Israel's border. This is a temporary defensive position until a suitable arrangement is found. »

“We also send a hand of peace to all those beyond our borders in Syria: to the Druze, the Kurds, the Christians and the Muslims who want to live in peace with Israel,” Mr. Netanyahu said.

A rusty tank on a hill in the Golan Heights overlooking Syria is a remnant of an earlier war. The last time the region saw serious fighting was in 1973 during the Yom Kippur War. (Uriel Heilman)

“We will follow events with the greatest attention. If we can establish good neighborly relations and peaceful relations with the new forces emerging in Syria, that is our wish. But if we fail, we will do everything in our power to defend the State of Israel and its borders. »

The Israeli military said in a statement that the presence of troops in the buffer zone did not mean Israel was getting involved in the coming fighting. “ We emphasize that the IDF does not interfere in internal events in Syria”she added.

JForum.fr with www.jewishpress.com, JTA and www.europe1.fr

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and other Israeli officials at the Syrian border on December 8, 2024. (Koby Gideon/Israeli Government Press Office)