On Sunday, the Israeli cabinet unanimously approved Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s proposal to invest NIS 40 million ($11 million) into a plan aimed at doubling the population of the Golan Heights.
Currently, the Israeli-controlled portion of the Golan Heights is home to around 50,000 residents, evenly divided between Jewish and Druze communities.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the allocated funds will be used to enhance education, promote renewable energy initiatives, establish a student village, and implement measures to attract new residents to the area.
“Strengthening the Golan Heights is strengthening the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said in the statement, adding, “and it is especially important at this time. We will continue to hold on to it, make it flourish and settle it.”
The plan specifically focuses on the Golan Heights under Israeli administration, excluding areas still under Syrian control.
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six Day War, which broke out amidst imminent threats of invasion by several Arab nations. In 1981, Israel formally annexed the territory, a move that remains largely unrecognized internationally, though the United States extended recognition in 2019.
On Sunday, Saudi Arabia strongly criticized the plan, labeling it an act of “sabotage” against Syria. Riyadh’s foreign ministry released a statement condemning the initiative, describing it as part of a “continued sabotage of opportunities to restore security and stability in Syria” following the recent overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by Islamist-led rebel forces.
Qatar also condemned the Israeli plan, referring to it as “a new episode in a series of Israeli aggressions on Syrian territories and a blatant violation of international law.”
The United Arab Emirates echoed similar sentiments, warning that the project “threatens further escalation and tensions in the region.” In a statement, the UAE foreign ministry asserted, “This decision is a deliberate effort to expand the occupation and is in violation and contravention of international law.”
Last week, Israel launched a significant military operation targeting Syria’s strategic defense capabilities, including sites housing chemical weapons, missiles, air defenses, and naval infrastructure. The operation aimed to prevent these assets from falling into the hands of hostile groups or being transferred to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Following the fall of Damascus to rebel forces, including an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, Israel moved into the United Nations-patrolled buffer zone along the border. While this action has drawn criticism internationally, Israel has defended its decision, emphasizing that it was a temporary and defensive measure intended to maintain stability and prevent the region’s power vacuum from being exploited.
Defense Minister Yisroel Katz stated on Friday that he had instructed the IDF to prepare for an extended presence on the Syrian side of Mount Chermon throughout the winter. Katz said the move is part of Israel’s broader strategy to ensure the border area does not fall into hostile hands.
{Matzav.com Israel}