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In a declaration of steadfast resolve, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Katz has asserted that Israeli troops will remain firmly entrenched atop Mount Hermon and continue their vigilant oversight of what he described as a “security zone” in southern syria/" class="auto-internal-link">syria. Katz emphasised that this position is non-negotiable, characterising it as a vital safeguard for Israel’s northern frontier in a time of regional flux. Writing on X, Katz reaffirmed the core principles of Israeli policy: an outright rejection of a Palestinian state and a determined campaign to strip Gaza of all weaponry, “to the last tunnel. ” He insisted that Hamas’s armed forces capacity will be dismantled either by Israeli force or through an international mechanism operating in areas he referred to as the “yellow zone” and “old Gaza”—regions where history collides with enduring crisis. Israeli Overtures to Syria disclosed by U.
S. Sources In a report published by U. S. outlet Axios in September, it was disclosed that Israel had proposed a detailed framework to Syria, calling for a demilitarised zone and a no-fly corridor stretching from the southwestern outskirts of Damascus to Israel’s border. This proposal, described as a strategic accord in waiting, was met with firm rejection by syrian/" class="auto-internal-link">syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who viewed it as a violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth has declared rising concern within Israeli political circles that leader Donald Trump might press Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to relinquish Israel’s position on Mount Hermon. These anxieties have intensified following President al-Sharaa’s visit to the White House, fuelling fears that American-Syrian rapprochement could come at the expense of Israeli strategic interests. Despite international speculation, Israeli engineering units continue their operations on the upper reaches of Mount Hermon within Syrian territory, establishing fortified outposts near the 2,800-metre mark in preparation for the approaching winter. Yedioth Ahronoth suggests that, following al-Sharaa’s Washington visit, both the U.
S. and Syria may revisit the terms of regional engagement—though Israel’s leadership anticipates no imminent change to its armed forces posture on the mountain. Stalemate in Israel-Syria Backchannel Communications The same outlet notes a prolonged impasse in backchannel communications between representatives of Prime Minister Netanyahu and Syrian intermediaries. The discussions have yielded no progress, particularly as tensions escalate over Israel’s persisted presence in southern Syria and the disputed slopes of Hermon—issues at the heart of an unresolved standoff. Following his high-profile meeting with President Trump, President al-Sharaa reiterated Syria’s commitment to a path…