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The Israeli government has validated a project aimed at doubling the population in the annexed Golan Heights, an initiative seen as a strategic act in a context of growing tensions in Syria. The plan comes as Israeli forces recently took control of a UN-monitored buffer zone, while claiming they are not seeking to provoke a direct clash with Damascus.
A demographic strengthening in the face of Syrian instability
On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced unanimous approval of an investment of 40 million shekels ($11 million) for the demographic development of the Golan. This decision was justified by “the war and the new reality in Syria”, which saw the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad by rebel forces led by Islamists. According to Netanyahu, “strengthening the Golan is essential for the security and sovereignty of the State of Israel.”
Since 1967, Israel has occupied a large part of the strategic Golan Heights, officially annexed in 1981. This annexation is only recognized in the United States, notably since a declaration in 2019 under the Trump administration. The Golan is currently home to approximately 30,000 Israelis and 23,000 Arab Druze, the majority of whom retain Syrian nationality.
International reactions and condemnations
The Israeli announcement quickly drew vehement criticism from several countries in the region. Saudi Arabia called the move “continued sabotage of efforts to restore stability in Syria.” Qatar, for its part, denounced a “flagrant violation of international law”.
These condemnations reflect broader opposition to Israeli policy on the Golan, where settlement and demographic integration projects are seen as attempts to consolidate contested sovereignty. In 2021, a previous Israeli government had already approved a five-year, $317 million plan to double the settler population in this region.
Military operations in the buffer zone
The Israeli strategy is part of a context of increased border tensions. Following the collapse of the Assad regime, Netanyahu ordered the intervention of Israeli troops in the demilitarized zone, although monitored by the UN Disengagement Observation Force (UNDOF). According to U.N. officials, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have also carried out incursions beyond the buffer zone, described by Israel as temporary defensive measures aimed at preventing further instability.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said troops will remain in the region through the winter months, emphasizing the importance of securing the border amid the risks of new threats. At the same time, Israel has intensified its strikes on Syrian military infrastructure, including strategic and chemical weapons sites. Netanyahu said these actions were aimed at destroying military capabilities built up by the Assad regime over decades.
A controversial position: “For eternity”
In a recent speech, Netanyahu reiterated that the annexed Golan would remain “Israeli for eternity.” This statement was seen as a direct challenge to international law and a provocation in an already unstable region. Although the UN and the international community continue to consider the Golan as occupied Syrian territory, Israel justifies its control over this region by citing reasons of national security.
Recent Israeli military operations have been criticized by local and international actors. Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, leader of an Islamist rebel group that participated in the fall of Assad, denounced an “unjustified escalation” on the part of Israel. However, he also acknowledged that fatigue caused by years of war made an immediate Syrian response unlikely.
American support and regional policy
The support of the United States, the only country to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, constitutes a central pillar of Israeli strategy in this region. Official recognition in 2019, under Donald Trump, marked a turning point in Israeli-American relations, providing Israel with diplomatic cover for its initiatives in this disputed area.
However, the Israeli approach continues to polarize regional relations. Saudi Arabia and Qatar, through their statements, recall the position of many Arab states which consider the Golan as an integral part of Syria. The plan recently approved by Israel could thus exacerbate tensions, in particular by relaunching the debate on the future of the occupied territories in the broader context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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