The UN claims that Israel’s takeover of the buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights is a violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement between the two nations.
Following the overthrow of the Bashar al Assad government, Arab nations have issued declarations strongly denouncing Israel’s annexation of a demilitarized buffer zone in Syria’s Golan Heights.
The action was characterized Monday by Egypt’s Foreign Ministry as “an occupation of Syrian territory and a flagrant violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.”
Although Israel withdrew from several Syrian territory as a result of the deal, Israel continued to occupy the Golan Heights.
Egypt urged world countries and the UN Security Council to fulfill their obligations and adopt “a firm position” against Israel’s invasion of Syria.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “The assaults carried out by the Israeli occupation government, including the seizure of the buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights and the targeting of Syrian territory by Israeli occupation forces, confirm Israel’s continued violations of international law and its intent to sabotage Syria’s chances of regaining security, stability and territorial integrity.”
The statement emphasized “the need for the international community to condemn these Israeli violations and reaffirm respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and that the Golan is occupied Syrian Arab land.”
“Cautionary development”
In a Foreign Ministry statement, Qatar vehemently denounced “the Israeli occupation’s seizure of the buffer zone with the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic and the neighbouring leadership sites,” calling it “a dangerous development and a blatant attack on Syria’s sovereignty and unity, as well as a flagrant violation of international law.”
Attempts to annex Syrian territory are among the Israeli policies that it warned “will lead the region to further violence and tension.”
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry also issued a statement expressing “its strong condemnation and denunciation of the Israeli occupation forces’ seizure of the buffer zone on the Syrian border.”
“We condemn Israel’s actions of entering Syrian territory and taking control of the buffer zone,” stated Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi in a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while addressing his nation’s parliament.
Safadi stated that “Israel’s aggression against Syria and the occupation of this land constitute a breach of international law, an unacceptable escalation and an assault on the sovereignty of an Arab state.”
Along with denouncing “the Zionist entity’s seizure of the buffer zone with Syria in the Golan and the adjacent lands,” Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that “this act represents a blatant violation of international law and relevant international legitimacy resolutions.”
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Arab League reiterated “its full condemnation of Israel, the occupying power, for its illegal attempts to exploit Syria’s internal developments, whether through seizing additional lands in the Golan Heights or declaring the 1974 Disengagement Agreement void.”
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave his troops the order to seize the Golan Heights’ buffer zone.