Israel seized hundreds of square-kilometres of Syrian territory following Assad’s ouster [Getty]
Israeli forces who invaded parts of southern Syria following the ouster of the Assad regime will remain on the occupied territory indefinitely, Defence Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday.
Israel seized hundreds of square kilometers of Syrian land after Islamist rebels toppled Bashar Al-Assad in December.
They currently occupy the strategically important Mount Hermon, the UN buffer zone in the Golan Heights, and parts of Quneitra and Daraa governorates. Israel had already illegally occupied parts of the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967.
“The IDF will remain at the summit of the Hermon and the [UN buffer] zone indefinitely to ensure the security of the communities of the Golan Heights and the north, and all the residents of Israel,” Katz during a visit to the troops on Mount Hermon.
Signs that Israel intends to occupy the territory for the long term emerged earlier this month when local media reports claimed it was establishing six military bases in the so-called buffer zone.
Israeli officials have said they want to maintain a 15-kilometre “buffer zone” as well as a “zone of influence” stretching 60 kilometres into Syria.
Israel’s incursion into Syria was met with international condemnation, with the UN and Arab nations slamming its violation of the country’s sovereignty.
Trump mulls Syria pullout
US President Donald Trump is also reportedly considering pulling thousands of US troops out of Syria, a move that he has been pushing for since his first term in office.
Israel’s public broadcaster Kan reported Tuesday that senior White House officials have briefed members of the Israeli government about Trump’s plans, which it says are causing “great concern” in Israel.
The US currently has around 2,000 soldiers stationed in northern and eastern Syria, where they provide support to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and engage in counter-terror operations following the emergence and defeat of the Islamic State group (IS).
The report will heighten concern about US abandonment among Syria’s Kurds, who are coming under intensifying attacks from Turkey and its proxy militias in the north of the country.
Syria finance minister meets German diplomat following EU sanctions pledge
Syria’s Finance Minister Mohammed Abazeed held talks with Germany’s charge d’affaires in Damascus on Wednesday, two days after the EU announced plans to gradually relax Assad-era economic sanctions.
“We hope that the image Germany had of Syria before 8 December will change,” said Abazeed according to Reuters.
“It’s a pleasure to be here in the new Syria after almost 13 years of absence,” Bjorn Gehrmann responded.
“We’re now in the process of reestablishing our diplomatic presence in Damascus… we have a couple of questions and a couple of messages that I would like to discuss with you today in order to start our diplomatic relations, also on the financial matters.”
Syrian central bank unfreezes most bank accounts
The Syrian Central Bank has instructed banks to unfreeze accounts except those people and organisations linked to Assad regime officials as the interim government looks to boost the economy.
After toppling the Assad regime in December, the country’s new Islamist-led authorities ordered a freeze on bank accounts. This prevented customers from withdrawing, depositing, and transferring money, stifling economic activity.
Following the Central Bank’s latest decision, account holders will now be able to make deposits, request withdrawals, and transfer money, though banks will review the requests based on available liquidity, according to a document seen by Reuters and two bankers.
The Central Bank last week ordered a freeze on all accounts belonging to individuals and companies associated with the former regime.
