Tanks of Israelian origin congregate on the contended Golan Heights, moving closer to Syria's borders.
Israel is planning to increase its settler population in the Golan Heights, with the ultimate goal of reaching 100,000 settlers, according to reports. This expansion aligns with Israel’s long-term goal to strengthen its presence and legitimize its unilateral annexation of the Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria in the 1967 war.
The move has been met with widespread rejection and condemnation from regional countries, including Iran, Turkey, Lebanon, Russia, and the European Union. The United Nations body has also noted that compliance with international law and the absence of impunity are prerequisites for achieving peace and justice in the region.
Syria strongly opposes these moves, denouncing the Israeli presence and settlement expansion as illegal under international law. The Golan Heights remain internationally recognized as Syrian territory occupied by Israel. UN Security Council resolutions, including 242 (1967) and 497 (1981), reaffirm Syria’s sovereignty and declare Israel’s annexation null and void.
Israel has built dozens of illegal settlements in the Golan Heights in defiance of international calls to stop its illegal construction activities. In March 2019, former US President Donald Trump signed a decree recognizing Israeli "sovereignty" over the Golan Heights during a meeting with former Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington.
In response, Syria reaffirmed its right to retake the occupied territory of the Golan Heights. Israel annexed the occupied Golan Heights four years later, a move never recognized by the international community.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, announced a plan to double the number of Israeli settlers in the Golan Heights. This expansion further aggravates tensions, as these actions violate existing disengagement agreements and are viewed by Syria as attempts at territorial expansion and destabilization, including efforts to exploit local minority groups for political leverage.
Sally Shakkour, the leader of the English news team and a news and breaking news writer with over 6-year experience in publishing content and digital journalism, has been closely following this development. Sally excels in writing original node stories and monitoring Al Bawaba's social media accounts with her insights and knowledge of current trends and popular issues.
The article has been adapted from its original source and is copyrighted by Press TV in 2022. It is tagged with Israel, Syria, Tanks, and Golan Heights. The United Nations has repeatedly emphasized Syria's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and in July, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia stated that sustainable development in the occupied Palestinian territories is impossible due to Israel's ongoing occupation and policies.
In 1967, Israel occupied a large swathe of the Golan Heights during a full-scale war. The situation remains tense, with increasing Israeli military presence beyond the Golan Heights amplifying conflict risks.
- The Israeli Prime Minister's plan to double the number of Israeli settlers in the Golan Heights is causing a further escalation in tensions, as these actions are viewed by Syria as attempts at territorial expansion and destabilization, including efforts to exploit local minority groups for political leverage.
- The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia recently stated that sustainable development in the occupied Palestinian territories is impossible due to Israel's ongoing occupation and policies.
- Sally Shakkour, a news and breaking news writer with over 6-year experience in publishing content and digital journalism, has been closely following the development of Israel's increased settler population in the Golan Heights and its political implications.
- In addition to covering general news, Sally also writes opinion pieces and reports on war-and-conflicts, history, politics, news, entertainment, and games, thus offering a broad perspective on current events.
