The Israeli army is occupying the Syrian buffer zone of the Golan Heights - in violation of international law. And it seems that this is a long-term operation - and according to Netanyahu.
Recently, German Foreign Minister Analene Berbock addressed Syria's neighbors directly, and sharply. "Neighbors such as the Turkish and Israeli governments, who are defending their security interests, must not jeopardize the process with their actions," Berbock was quoted by ARD. "If we want a peaceful Syria, the territorial integrity of the country must not be questioned."
Part of the Golan Heights has been annexed since 1981
In fact, Israel has been questioning the territorial integrity of Syria for decades. In the summer of 1967, Israel occupied parts of the Golan Heights - the area that forms the Syrian border with Israel - during the Six-Day War against Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Israel annexed the area in 1981 in clear violation of international law.
After Islamist rebels took power in Damascus, Israel has launched massive air strikes on parts of Syria. Israeli troops are advancing more and more. They are occupying the demilitarized zone in the part of the Golan Heights that was officially under Syrian control. It exists under an agreement dating back to 1974. As ARD writes, the soldiers have also entered even deeper into Syria.
Attacks on military infrastructure
Israeli officials emphasize that this is done only for defensive purposes. That is why the attacks were aimed at military infrastructure: Syria's navy, bases and arsenals - especially the chemical weapons that dictator Assad used against his own population during the civil war. Now, in the chaos of the transition, they must not fall into the wrong hands, Israel claims.
Initially, the official line was that Israel would not intervene in Syria, ARD recalls. "But then we saw quite radical steps", says Carmit Valency, a political scientist at the Israel Institute for National Security Studies.
"Currently, Israel is actively repelling threats along the northern border," she says. Israel has also been seen to be taking territory, moving troops into the buffer zone on the Syrian side to reduce threats, Valensi said. Officials have stressed that these are temporary steps, she said: "They say Israel has no intention of holding on to this area in the long term. The question is whether that will really be the case." Israel appears to have seized the opportunity to improve its strategic position in the Golan Heights - even if this is illegal under international law, as human rights activists point out, ARD writes.
Preventive measures or long-term ambitions?
They doubt that the rebel takeover of Syria posed a real threat to Israel and its troops. Instead, they claim that Israel has used the situation to improve its position by seizing strategic points - probably with long-term ambitions.
The office of Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that he had instructed the army to prepare to remain on the summit of Mount Hermon in Syria during the winter months. This impression is also confirmed by statements from soldiers currently in the area.
"We have placed containers here for the commander's office, for living quarters, showers, toilets and generators. If necessary, we will deliver more equipment," Lt. Col. Ori Yainon said on Israeli Army Radio. "And we are aware that we are racing against time. Because winter will soon come, it will be cold and there will be snow. We are preparing accordingly." The lieutenant colonel's words certainly sound as if the Israeli soldiers have come to stay. "We are preparing for a stay that will last at least a year. That is the period we are currently focusing on." Yainon also points out: "From a military point of view, the area is ours at the moment".
"Part of Israel forever"
The officer clearly shares the opinion of the Israeli Prime Minister. Since this week, Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the population in the following way: "I would like to say something to the generations of fighters who gave their lives for the liberation and defense of the Golan Heights, as well as to the residents who settled there - today we all realize the importance of our presence in the Golan Heights. Control over them guarantees security and sovereignty," the Israeli Prime Minister emphasized. "The Golan Heights will be an integral part of Israel - forever."