Upheavals in the Middle East
Israel: Agreement with Syria on troop disengagement ended
After the overthrow of Syrian ruler Assad, Israel is ending an important agreement with its neighboring country after 50 years. It’s about disengaging the troops in the Golan Heights.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared the 1974 military disengagement agreement with Syria to be effectively over. The background is the overthrow of ruler Bashar al-Assad. Netanyahu said the agreement concluded following the 1973 Yom Kippur War collapsed on Sunday night after the Syrian army abandoned its positions.
“We have ordered the Israeli army to take over these positions to ensure that no enemy forces establish themselves directly on Israel’s border,” the head of government added. This is a temporary measure until a suitable solution is found.
Among other things, the 1974 agreement established a buffer zone along the border, which has since been controlled by blue helmets from the Undof mission.
Israel and Syria have been fighting over the Golan Heights for more than five decades. Israel conquered the approximately 1,150 square kilometer plateau in the Six-Day War of 1967 and annexed it at the end of 1981, which is not recognized under international law. The area is important militarily strategic and because of access to water sources.
dpa
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
