On Monday 9 December, Egypt condemned Israel’s seizure of the buffer zone with Syria, describing the actions as an occupation of Syrian territories.
According to Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this seizure constitutes an obvious violation of Syria’s sovereignty and a clear breach of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which established a ceasefire line and a UN-monitored buffer zone between Israeli and Syrian military positions in the Golan Heights.
This recent move follows the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad’s government by Syrian insurgents, which was followed by Israeli tanks capturing the strategically significant buffer zone and Jabal al-Sheikh on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights.
In the wake of the insurgents’ victory, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the 1974 agreement void, asserting that Israel would take necessary actions to secure its interests in the region.
In its statement, Egypt emphasized that Israeli practices not only violate international law but also threaten the unity and integrity of Syrian territories.
The Egyptian government expressed that these actions take advantage of the instability and power vacuum in Syria, making an already tense and complicated situation.
Cairo has called upon the United Nations Security Council and global powers to assume their responsibilities and take a firm stance against Israeli aggression, advocating for the protection of Syria’s sovereignty over all its territories.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry also stressed the need for international accountability regarding Israel’s actions, which they view as detrimental to peace and stability in the region.
The Golan Heights is a strategically significant plateau located in southwestern Syria, covering approximately 1,000 square kilometers. Its importance lies in its elevated terrain, which provides a commanding view of the surrounding areas, including southern Syria and northern Israel.
Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the closing stages of the 1967 Six-Day War, leading to the displacement of most Syrian Arab inhabitants and establishing Israeli military control over the region.
Despite Syria’s efforts to retake the territory during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, a ceasefire was established in 1974, reinforced by a UN observer force.
In 1981, Israel annexed the Golan Heights, a move that has not been recognized internationally, though the Trump Administration acknowledged it in March 2019.
The Golan Heights serves as a critical buffer zone for Israel, offering a vantage point for monitoring Syrian military movements. However, Syria has consistently demanded the return of the Golan Heights as a condition for any peace agreement with Isra
