JERUSALEM, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday defended the military's seizure of additional Syrian territory, characterizing the expansion as a necessary buffer against a vacuum of authority following the collapse of the Assad government.
The move, which has drawn sharp condemnation from Damascus and much of the international community, is intended to secure northern Israel and the occupied Golan Heights, Katz said in a statement.
He asserted that the Israel Defense Forces were operating to neutralize "global jihadist groups," Palestinian factions including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and Iranian-aligned remnants still active across the border.
"This policy applies to all confrontation borders and will remain so," Katz said.
His comments came after renewed U.S.-mediated talks between Israel and Syria earlier this week in Paris, aimed at easing tensions along their shared border.
According to SANA, Syria's state-run news agency, the negotiations are centered on reviving the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. That framework would require the re-establishment of a United Nations-monitored buffer zone and an Israeli withdrawal to the lines held before Dec. 8, 2024. Damascus has insisted on a "balanced security framework" that restores full Syrian sovereignty and prohibits external interference in its domestic affairs.
Israel significantly expanded its footprint in the Golan Heights after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, moving troops into the long-standing demilitarized zone. While Syria and other Arab countries have labeled the incursion a flagrant violation of international law, Israeli officials have described it as a "defensive necessity."
On Tuesday, the Israeli Prime Minister's office confirmed the ongoing dialogue, noting that both sides had agreed to continue discussions "to advance shared objectives" and to ensure the safety of the Druze minority in southern Syria.
While the U.S. State Department announced the creation of a "joint fusion mechanism" to coordinate security and de-escalation under American supervision, the trilateral statement notably omitted any mention of the disputed buffer zone, leaving the ultimate status of the seized territory unclear. ■
