Netanyahu says Israeli troops to occupy Syria buffer zone for foreseeable future

Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops will continue to stay in the demilitarised buffer zone in Syria that was occupied by Israel shortly after the ouster of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

The Israeli prime minister on Tuesday claimed his forces would be stationed in the buffer zone near Golan Heights for the foreseeable future to ensure "Israel's security".

Israel has faced criticism from UN, France, and a number of Arab nations who accused it of violating a 1974 ceasefire and exploiting the chaos in Syria for a land grab. Since Assad's ouster this month, Israel has launched hundreds of missiles inside Syria, targeting military posts, weapon caches, and airforce and navy units.

In a first for an Israeli leader, Netanyahu made the announcement from the summit of Mount Hermon inside the buffer zone, about 10km from the border with the Israel-held Golan Heights. It appeared to be the first time a sitting Israeli leader set foot that far into Syria.

Israel on 8 December captured the buffer zone, a roughly 400sqkm demilitarized area in Syrian territory, arguing that the ceasefire agreement had collapsed as Syrian soldiers allegedly abandoned their positions.

"We will stay ... until another arrangement is found that ensures Israel's security," the prime minister said on Tuesday.

The Israeli prime minister has repeatedly claimed that he had “no interest in a conflict with Syria”, but continued with his devastating bombing campaign across Syria.

Mr Netanyahu was accompanied by his defence minister Israel Katz, who "instructed" the Israeli military to quickly establish a presence, including fortifications, in anticipation of what could be an extended stay in the area. "The summit of the Hermon is the eyes of the state of Israel to identify our enemies who are nearby and far away," he said.

The Associated Press cited an Israeli military official saying that there was no plan to evacuate the Syrians living in villages within the buffer zone.

Mr Netanyahu on Tuesday said the visit made him "nostalgic".

“I was here 53 years ago with my soldiers in a patrol of the Israel Defense Forces. The place hasn’t changed, it’s the same place, but its importance to Israel’s security has only grown in recent years, and especially in recent weeks with the dramatic events that are happening here below us in Syria,” he said.

The buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights was created by the UN after the 1973 six-day war. A UN force of about 1,100 troops had patrolled the area since then.

The Israeli advances in Syria come as its forces are still fighting the war in Gaza against the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Both the parties this week expressed optimism that a ceasefire agreement could be reached after months of deadlock, that would see the prisoners taken hostage by Hamas freed.

Israeli bombardment and offensives in Gaza have killed more than 45,000 Palestinians over the past 14 months, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run Strip. Around 90 per cent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been forced from their homes, the UN found.

Israel had launched the war in retaliation against an attack inside Israel by Hamas on 7 October last year, during which around 1,200 Israelis were killed, and another 251 people were taken hostage.