Jakarta – Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Israel to immediately leave Syrian territory. Putin urged Israel to withdraw its troops promptly.
“We hope Israel will leave Syrian territory at some point in the future.” However, now Israel is bringing in additional forces,” said Putin at a press conference reported by AFP news agency on Friday (20/12/2024).
Israel Not Interested in Confrontation
In his latest statement, Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel is not interested in confronting Syria. He made this statement on Sunday (15/12) local time, a few days after he ordered Israeli forces to the buffer zone between the forces of the two countries in the Golan Heights.
“We are not interested in confronting Syria.” Israel’s policy towards Syria will be determined by the evolving realities on the ground,” Netanyahu said in a video statement, as reported by AFP news agency on Monday (16/12). He made this statement one week after the rebel group overthrew Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Last week, the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) declared its victory in the power struggle in Syria. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani succeeded in ousting Assad from power, ending the iron-fisted rule of the Assad clan that lasted for five decades.
Since then, Israeli forces have moved into the demilitarized zone within Syria established after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, including the Syrian side of the strategic Golan Heights overlooking the Syrian capital, Damascus, where Israel took over abandoned Syrian military outposts.
Israel has stated that they do not intend to stay there. Israel described the attacks on Syrian territory as limited and temporary actions to ensure border security. Israel has also launched hundreds of attacks on Syria’s strategic weapon supplies. Several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan, have condemned what they call Israel’s seizure of the buffer zone in the Golan Heights.
Putin Urges Israel to Immediately Withdraw Its Troops from Syria
