Syria condemns Netanyahu’s “illegal” visit to Mount Hermon

Syria condemned the “illegal entry” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister, Israel Katz, and their roaming in the occupied Mount Hermon, denouncing the continued Israeli incursions and attacks within Syrian territory.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said, “The Syrian Arab Republic strongly condemns the illegal entry of the Israeli occupation Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, into Syrian territory and his roaming in Mount Hermon, in a provocative step and a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic, its territorial integrity, and international law.”

The ministry emphasized that the continued Israeli incursions and attacks within Syrian territory represent a dangerous escalation that threatens security and stability in the region. It placed full responsibility on the Israeli occupation for the repercussions of these violations and called on the United Nations, international organizations, and key actors to assume their responsibilities to halt these attacks and return to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

Israeli forces occupy what was once a buffer zone monitored by the United Nations, separating Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan, which Israel has occupied since 1967.

Katz visited Israeli troops stationed in southern Syria two weeks ago, a move Damascus condemned as a “blatant violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” He pledged yesterday not to withdraw from the area, stating, “We are here on Mount Hermon, we are in the security zone, and we will not move from here.”

Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes on Syria since the fall of Assad, and has carried out repeated incursions into Syrian territory.