International
Israel Takes Control Of Golan Buffer Zone After Assad Regime Collapse
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced the temporary seizure of the demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), declaring that the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria has “collapsed” following the rebel takeover of the country.
Netanyahu stated that Israeli forces had moved into the buffer zone and nearby commanding positions to prevent hostile forces from establishing themselves on Israel’s border. “We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border,” he said.
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The move follows the rapid overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime by Syrian rebel fighters, led by the Islamist opposition group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The rebels captured Damascus early Sunday, declaring Syria “free” on state television.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Syrian troops abandoned their positions in Quneitra province, part of which lies within the buffer zone. In response, the IDF instructed residents of five Syrian villages in the area to remain indoors.
Netanyahu called the fall of Assad’s regime a “historic day in the Middle East,” describing it as both an opportunity and a risk. He emphasized that Israel’s military action in the buffer zone was a “temporary defensive measure” to secure its borders amid the uncertainty.
The Golan Heights, a strategically significant plateau 60 kilometres southwest of Damascus, has been a point of contention since Israel seized it during the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed it in 1981—a move recognized only by the U.S. in 2019.
Netanyahu underscored Israel’s readiness to establish peaceful relations with emerging Syrian forces but warned, “If we cannot, we will do whatever it takes to defend the State of Israel and its borders.”
The rapid developments in Syria have heightened concerns about the potential proliferation of Assad’s alleged chemical weapons stockpiles. Netanyahu suggested that events in Syria reflected the success of Israeli strikes targeting Iranian and Hezbollah forces, which had backed Assad.
Israel’s intervention comes amid an already volatile Middle Eastern landscape. The IDF has reinforced its positions in the Golan Heights, warning residents in nearby areas that Israel will act decisively if needed.
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The leader of the Syrian rebellion, Abu Mohammed al-Julani—whose family originates from the Golan Heights—adds a complex dynamic. The territory is home to thousands of Israeli settlers and around 20,000 Druze Syrians who remained after Israel’s occupation.
During Syria’s 2011 uprising, Israel had supported the Assad regime as a counterbalance to unpredictable alternatives. Now, with Assad gone, Israel is grappling with uncertainty about the region’s future and who will emerge as its new neighbour.
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