Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will not allow Syrian forces ‘south of Damascus’
There was no immediate response from Syrian authorities.
Benjamin Netanyahu says that neither the Syrian army nor the insurgents behind the ousting of ex-Syrian president Bashar Assad will be allowed to “enter the area south of Damascus”.
As per Mr Netanyahu, Israeli forces will remain in parts of southern Syria for an indefinite period.
Mr Netanyahu’s comments on Sunday at a military graduation led to fresh anger over Israel’s presence in the Middle Eastern nation, and sway, in a swath of southern Syria as its new leaders attempt to consolidate control after years of civil war.
“We demand the complete demilitarisation of southern Syria in the provinces of Quneitra, Daraa and Suwayda from the forces of the new regime. Likewise, we will not tolerate any threat to the Druze community in southern Syria.”
There was no immediate response from Syrian authorities.
Defence minister Israel Katz added that Israeli forces will remain on the peak of Mt Hermon in southern Syria and in a buffer zone “for an indefinite period of time to protect our communities and thwart any threat”.
After the fall of Mr Assad in December, Israel seized the UN-patrolled buffer zone on Syrian territory.
The zone was set up under a 1974 ceasefire agreement.
Syria’s new authorities and UN officials have called for Israel to withdraw.
