Israel greenlights $11 million plan to 'double' Golan Heights population amid regional tensions
Golan Heights
Israel on Sunday (Dec 15) approved a planto "double" the population of the annexed Golan Heights. This comes as the country insists that it had no intention of confronting Syria after Israeli forces, acting on the orders ofPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seized a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the wake of the ouster of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad by Islamist rebels.
The Israeli government, as per reports, has approved 40 million shekel ($11 million) for the expansion plan in Golan Heights.
Netanyahu defends population expansion plan
Israeli PM Netanyahu's office in a statement said that the government had "unanimously approved" the 40 million shekel ($11 million) plan "for the demographic development of the Golan... in light of the war and the new front in Syria and the desire to double the population".
Netanyahu called the plan "particularly important at this time" and said, "the strengthening of the Golan is that of the State of Israel."
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"We will continue to establish ourselves there, develop it and settle there," he added.
Saudi, Qatar condemn Israel's Golan Heightsplan
Saudi Arabia and Qatar have opposed the plan. Expressing "condemnation and denunciation" of the plan, Saudi foreign ministry called it part of the "continued sabotage of opportunities to restore security and stability in Syria".
Qatar said this was a "new episode in a series of Israeli aggressions on Syrian territories and a blatant violation of international law".
With its strategic significance, the Golan Heights has long been a point of contention. Israel captured the territory during the 1967 war and annexed it in 1981. While most of the world considers it Syrian territory, the US broke ranks in 2019 by formally recognising Israel’s sovereignty over the area under then-president Donald Trump.
Sunday’s move follows previous efforts to expand the settler population. In 2021, a $317 million initiative was approved to double the number of Israelis living in the Golan within five years, though its implementation has been gradual.
(With inputs from agencies)
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq and non-state actors like Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.
