The Israeli premier said a 50-year-old “disengagement agreement” between the two countries had collapsed and “Syrian forces have abandoned their positions”. As a result, he said, “I directed the IDF (military) yesterday to seize the buffer zone and the commanding positions nearby. We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border”.
The announcement, which Netanyahu made while visiting the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights which abut the buffer zone, came after the military said it had deployed forces to the area.
Israel had already said the day before, as the Islamist-led rebels swiftly advanced across Syria, that its soldiers entered the UN-patrolled buffer zone to assist peacekeepers in repelling an attack. On Sunday, the army announced a troop deployment there, citing “the possible entry of armed individuals into the buffer zone”.
“Following the recent events in Syria… the IDF (military) has deployed forces in the buffer zone and in several other places necessary for its defence, to ensure the safety of the communities of the Golan Heights and the citizens of Israel,” a military statement said. Israeli forces “will continue to operate as long as necessary in order to preserve the buffer zone and defend Israel”, it added. The statement stressed that the Israeli military “is not interfering with the internal events in Syria”.
Since the rebel coalition, led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, began its renewed offensive against government forces on November 27, Syrian government forces have left positions near the Israeli-held Golan, according to a war monitor.
Because occupying the Golan Heights wasn’t already enough of a buffer?
Buffer for the buffer. How do you think Israel has been growing for the past 80 years? Taking land one crisis at a time.
Gotta keep them wars going to skip jail
The word land changed to buffer zone again. Funny how the news keeps doing that when Israel illegally annexes territory.
Israel just can’t stop stealing land, can they?
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Israel is the problem. That is a simple fact. Genocide and crimes against humanity is the point of Zionism. But not all Jewish people are Zionists it just feels like that at the moment with the government being run by them. There are many decent Jews who have been calling them out, protesting and reporting on war crimes committed by Israeli government. Let’s not stoop to their level.
I think the issue you’ll find is in the “by extension [insert group]” rhetoric.
This kind of logic becomes particularly problematic in this situation as less than 50% of jews live in Israel. So a majority have little to no say in what the state of Israel does.
What an insane thing to say. I’m Jewish (non-religious). I’m strongly anti-zionist. Most Jewish people I know, especially young ones, do not support Israel. Israel is a problem, but the moment you extend that to religious and ethnic groups, regardless of overlap, you’re inviting hate and violence. It would be like blaming Mexican people for Mexican cartels, Arabs or Muslims for ISIS, or ethnic Russians for the actions of the Russian government.
The Israeli government is “the problem,” not Jewish people categorically. Totalitarian regimes around the world are “the problem,” not the ethnic or religious groups that live where they occupy.
