A UN peacekeeper stands guard on a watch tower at a crossing between Syria and Israeli occupied Golan Heights | Photo: AP A UN peacekeeper stands guard on a watch tower at a crossing between Syria and Israeli occupied Golan Heights | Photo: AP The Israeli government has approved a plan to expand illegal settlements in the occupied Golan Heights, as international concern grows over Israel’s actions in Syria since the fall of the Assad regime. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced on Sunday that the government had “unanimously approved” the “demographic development” of the area, with the aim of doubling the Israeli population there.
This decision has faced international condemnation, with multiple nations denouncing Israel's move to increase the settler population in the illegally occupied Syrian territory. Netanyahu defended Israel’s actions, saying that they were aimed at ensuring the country’s safety. “Strengthening the Golan means strengthening the State of Israel, and this is especially important at this time,” he said in a statement after his government’s approval.
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Abu Mohammad al-Julani, the leader of the rebel coalition currently governing Syria, condemned Israel's actions. In an interview with Syria TV on Saturday, he said Israel was using pretexts to justify “unwarranted” territorial seizures in Syria. “Syria’s war-weary condition, after years of conflict, does not allow for new confrontations,” al-Shara said. “The priority now is reconstruction and stability, not being drawn into disputes that could lead to further destruction.”
Meanwhile, Israel has continued to bomb Syria since President Bashar al-Assad was ousted by opposition fighters. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Israeli forces have launched over 800 strikes on Syria in the past week.
What Is The Golan Heights?The Golan Heights is internationally recognised as part of Syria. Israel occupied the area during the 1967 six-day War and currently controls 1,200 square kilometers of the region’s western part. Following its occupation, Israel immediately began building illegal settlements in the area.
rolling slots casinoCurrently, about 50,000 people reside in the occupied Golan Heights, half of whom are Israeli settlers, while the other half consists of Druze, Alawites, and others, according to Israeli daily Haaretz.
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The Golan Heights is a rocky plateau situated in the southwest corner of Syria, bordering Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan, spanning about 1,000 square miles. Syria still controls part of the region and has demanded that Israel withdraw from the rest. Syria attempted to regain the Golan Heights in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War but was unsuccessful. Following that, Israel and Syria signed an armistice in May 1974, which established a ceasefire and created a buffer zone, prohibiting military forces from either side from entering it.
The first quarter had plenty of action with both teams finding themselves with opportunities to take the lead through penalty corners. As neither team got past each other’s defence, the quarter remained goalless.
Argentina's Monja Federico opened the scoring through a field goal just in the third minute as India fell behind early in the game. India did not take long to level the scores with Araijeet Singh Hundal finding the net in the seventh minute.
A United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) was set up for peacekeeping in the 400-square-kilometer buffer zone, which is only accessible to UN personnel. The surrounding area is considered Syrian territory and contains several Syrian villages.
World’s Position On Golan Heights OccupationNo countrydream club, apart from the United States under President Donald Trump in 2019, recognises Israel’s occupation of Syria’s Golan Heights. All other nations consider the Golan to be Syrian territory under Israeli occupation. In 2019, Trump broke with long-standing U.S. policy and recognized Israel's sovereignty over the territory, a decision that has not been reversed by the Biden administration.
