Israel believes that the separation of forces agreement with Syria, signed in 1974, is already is not in force, since after the change of power in Damascus, Syrian troops left the area. This statement was made by the Prime Minister of the Jewish State, Benjamin Netanyahu, during a trip to the border region.
„This area was under the control of the demarcation zone agreed in 1974. as part of the Separation of Forces Agreement. This agreement failed and the Syrian troops abandoned their positions. Together with the Minister of Defense [Israel Katz] and with the full support of the cabinet, yesterday I ordered the Israel Defense Forces to occupy the demarcation zone and the positions that control it,” Netanyahu said, as quoted by his office.
At the same time, he called "the collapse of the agreement" one of the results of the “chain reaction” that started in the Middle East after the Israeli strikes against Iran and Lebanon. The head of government clarified that the deployment of Israeli forces in the buffer zone is a temporary measure. "This arrangement lasted for 50 years. Last night it collapsed and the Syrian army left its positions. We ordered the Israeli army to occupy these positions to prevent any hostile forces from entrenching themselves right on the Israeli border. This is a temporary defensive position until a suitable agreement is found, he explained.
The prime minister also assured that his country is open to friendship and good neighborliness with Syrian civilians and has already helped the population in the border areas of the neighboring country in the past.
Belonging to Syria since 1944, the Golan Heights were captured by Israel in 1967. during the Six Day War. In 1973, during the Yom Kippur War, Syria tried to reclaim the area, but as a result of the conflict, Israel retained control of the Golan Heights. In 1981 The Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Golan Heights Law, which unilaterally declares Israeli sovereignty over this territory. The annexation was declared illegal by UN Security Council Resolution 497 of December 17, 1981.
The Separation of Forces Agreement between Israel and Syria in 1974. ended the fighting and determined the current configuration of the border areas between the countries. Since 1974 the ceasefire there is being monitored by UN forces. According to international agreements, there should be no armed personnel in the buffer zone between Israel and Syria, except for peacekeepers.