US Backs Israel’s Invasion of Syria and Seizure of More Golan Heights
US Backs Israel‘s Military Action in Syria, Citing Self-Defense
WASHINGTON – The United states has defended Israel’s military incursion into Syria, with State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller emphasizing the operation was a defensive measure.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday,Miller claimed the Israel Defense forces (IDF) advance into Syrian territory on the Golan Heights was necessary to prevent militant groups based in Syria from seizing control of the border region and launching attacks against Israel in the future.
The Israeli military moved into the demilitarized zone on the Golan Heights, which Israel occupies, on Sunday following the capture of Damascus by Syrian opposition forces and the subsequent flight of President Bashar Assad.
On Monday, Israeli forces pushed beyond the buffer zone and into Syrian territory. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated their intention was to create a “security zone” free from “heavy strategic weapons and terrorist infrastructure.”
According to Miller,the Syrian Army’s withdrawal from positions around the buffer zone “created a potential vacuum” that could be filled by terrorist organizations.
“This would pose a threat to the state of Israel and civilians within Israel,” Miller said. “Every contry has the right to take action against terrorist organizations,” he added. “Ultimately, it’s important to have security along that border, and that’s what the Israeli military is ensuring right now.”
However, Miller noted that Washington expects the Israeli occupation to be temporary.
“This is a temporary measure that they have taken in response to the Syrian military’s decision to withdraw from that area… We want to see the 1974 disengagement agreement upheld, and that includes the provisions of the buffer zone, which includes Israel withdrawing to its previous positions,” he said, referring to the 1974 agreement between Israel and Syria establishing a demilitarized zone on the Golan Heights.
Miller’s statements contradict earlier pronouncements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While Israel informed the UN Security Council that its incursion into Syria was a “limited and temporary” action during a press conference on Monday evening, Netanyahu declared, “The Golan Heights will forever be an inseparable part of the State of Israel.”
US Defends Israeli Action in Syria as “self-Defense”
Washington: The United states has come out in support of Israel’s military incursion into Syria, labeling it a necessary defensive move. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller asserted that the incursion into the Golan Heights was a direct response to prevent militant groups from seizing control and launching attacks against Israel.
Miller justified the incursion, which saw Israeli forces move beyond the established buffer zone into Syrian territory, by citing the withdrawal of the Syrian army from positions around the zone.
He argued that this withdrawal created a “potential vacuum” that could be exploited by terrorist organizations,posing a direct threat to Israel and its citizens.
“Every country has the right to take action against terrorist organizations,” Miller stated, emphasizing the need for security along the border.
Despite the US endorsement, Miller made it clear that Washington expects the Israeli presence in Syria to be temporary. Citing the 1974 disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria, he stated that the US wants to see Israel withdraw to its previous positions, upholding the agreement’s provisions for a demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights.
Miller’s stance contrasts with the pronouncements of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin netanyahu. While informing the UN Security Council that the incursion was “limited and temporary,” Netanyahu declared that “The Golan Heights will forever be an inseparable part of the State of israel.”