Israel’s Netanyahu rejects calls for withdrawal from Israeli-occupied Syrian territories

By Burak Dag and Yasin Gungor

JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL (AA) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his country's military will not withdraw from territories it occupied in southern Syria.

Speaking at a conference attended by Israeli ambassadors, mission heads and Foreign Ministry officials, Netanyahu reiterated that Israel will not leave areas occupied after the fall of the Baath regime in Syria on Dec. 8, 2024.

"We want to preserve these assets," he said, referring to Jabal al-Sheikh (Mount Hermon) and the buffer zone adjacent to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which Israel has held since 1967.

He said Israel hopes to reach an agreement with the Damascus administration on demilitarizing southern Syria.

Israeli military attacks on Syria intensified following the collapse of the 61-year Baath regime on Dec. 8, 2024, after clashes escalated on Nov. 27.

Israel began destroying military infrastructure left by regime forces and expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights.

Israeli forces entered the buffer zone near the Golan Heights and pushed the occupation further, advancing to within 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) of Damascus.

Israel has occupied Syria's Golan Heights since 1967. A 1974 disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria established borders for the buffer and demilitarized zones.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani previously said there would be no agreement with Israel until it withdraws from Syrian territory.