Netanyahu says that Israeli troops will stay in Syria until “another arrangement” is made

In the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, which Israel took over after President Bashar al-Assad’s fall, the prime minister says the regime’s troops will stay in a so-called “buffer zone” until a new plan is made that will “ensure the usurping regime’s security.”

On Tuesday, Benjamin Netanyahu spoke from the top of Mount Hermon, which is also known as Jabal al-Shaykh in Arabic and is the highest point in the area. He was in Syria, about 10 kilometres (6 miles) from the border with the strategically important Golan Heights.

He was accompanied by Israel Katz, who is the minister of defence; Herzi Halevi, who is the chief of staff , Ronen Bat, who is in charge of the Shin Bet internal security service , and Uri Gordin, who is in charge of Northern Command.

Netanyahu said again that Israel would stay in the area “until another deal can be made that protects Israel’s safety.”

The prime minister said that he had been on the same mountaintop as a soldier 53 years ago, but that recent events have made the summit even more important for the security of the Tel Aviv government.

And it looked like that was the first time an Israeli leader had gone that far into Syrian land while in office.

Katz said that Israeli troops would stay on top of Mount Hermon in Syria for “as long as necessary.”

He said, “We will stay here for as long as it takes,” claiming that sending Israeli troops to the important meeting for national security “strengthens security.”

“The top of Mount Hermon is Israel’s view of both near and faraway threats.” Katz said, “We can see Hezbollah positions in Lebanon to the right and Damascus to the left from here.”

The UN-monitored buffer zone in the Golan Heights was taken over by Israeli troops just hours after armed groups took over Damascus, Syria’s capital, on December 8.

Israel has been harshly criticised for ending the peace agreement it had with Syria in 1974 and taking advantage of the chaos in the Arab country after Assad’s removal to seize land.

After the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, the UN set up the buffer zone in the Golan Heights, which are now controlled by Israel. The area has been watched over by a UN force of about 1,100 troops since then.

Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the UN, said on Tuesday that the presence of Israeli troops, for however long it lasts, is against the agreement that set up the buffer zone.

It’s important to honour that deal, and Dujarric pointed out that work is work no matter how long it lasts—a week, a month, or a year.