Israeli Prime Minister openly announced his decision to expand the number of Israeli settlers in the occupied Golan Heights.
Naftali Bennett has announced that Israel plans to quadruple the population of settlers in the Golan Heights. Israel starts the program as part of a vast project to strengthen Israel’s grip on the land. The country seized the Golan Heights from Syrians half a century ago.
Israeli PM stressed that the additional expenditure rooted during former US government’s acknowledgment of Tel Aviv’s authority over the area of territory two years ago. Trump’s successor at the White House also assured Israel that it won’t fight the issue anytime in the future.
“This is our moment. This is the moment of the Golan Heights. After long and static years in terms of the scope of settlement, our goal today is to double settlement in the Golan Heights,” Israeli PM openly expressed during a special government session in the region.
During the 1967 conflict, Israel seized the Golan Heights and claimed it 14 years later. The action is widely regarded as unlawful under international regulations. The vast bulk of the international community still find the Syrian claim over the region lawful.
In the Golan Heights, some 25 thousands of Israeli settlers live alongside 23 thousands of Druze who preferred to stay in the territory after its seizure. The United States administration was the pioneer government in acknowledging Israel’s dominion over the area.
Israeli fresh PM, who technically heads a diverse coalition of multiple opposing parties, will require cabinet permission to press through with his Golan proposal. An abrupt procrastination occurred before the Sunday session due to the fact that Bennett’s daughter tested positive for the coronavirus. That put the PM in confinement, but the proposal was still anticipated to be voted on.
The Golan Heights; 54 Years after Occupation
“Dangerous and unprecedented”; This was one of the first responses of Syrian officials to Israel’s decision over the region. Syria has fought for his claim on the territory for more than half a century. The new multimillion dollar plan may lead to an escalation between the two sides in the region.
Israel means to build 7,300 houses in the Golan Heights as a way to consolidate its grip over it. The plan will double the number of Israeli illegal settlers in the region.
Syria issued a statement following Bennet statement in which it harshly blasted the policy. “Syria strongly condemns the dangerous and unprecedented escalation from the Israeli occupation forces in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and its persistence in settlement policies and grave and methodological violations that rise to the level of war crimes,” part of the foreign ministry statement read.
The Syrian government administration also expressed its dedication to the Syrian citizens in the region who are resolute in their fight to the Israeli occupation. The group’s repudiation of plans to seize the Golan Heights has had a main role in thwarting the annexation attempts.
The Druze Arab villagers residing in the Golan Height are sharp critics of Israeli colonialism. The had the choice to move and better their life condition through the years. However, a philosophical antagonism to Israeli annexation and occupation kept the Druze people from forsaking their lands and properties.
Observers believe that Golan Heights are the Israeli gate to other parts of the world. The country which owes its establishment to land seizure and occupation finds more annexation a good way for expansion. Israel was established 7 centuries ago, started to expand 5 centuries ago. There is a long way and Bennett knows it.
