Damascus condemns Israel Katz after visit with IDF soldiers on Mount Hermon
Katz's visit follows an IDF strike in Syria near Damascus on Saturday, which itself followed a larger strike on a military airfield on August 18.
Syria's government has strongly criticized Defense Minister Israel Katz for visiting Mount Hermon, deeming the action "illegal." The Foreign Affairs Ministry emphasized that such hostile practices are a blatant provocation, violating international law and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. The ministry urged the international community to pressure Israel to cease its repeated violations, withdraw from Syrian territory, and respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial unity.
During his visit on Tuesday, Katz met with IDF soldiers on Mount Hermon, vowing that Israel would not depart from the site as long as jihadist threats against Israel persisted. Katz assured the Syrian president that the presence of IDF forces on Mount Hermon was to protect communities and borders. He highlighted the strategic importance of the territory, noting its vantage point overlooking Damascus and the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, a Hezbollah stronghold.
Katz's visit comes after an IDF strike on a terrorist preparing to attack Israeli soldiers near Damascus and a larger strike on the Abu al-Duhur military airfield in Idlib province, aimed at avoiding a direct clash with Turkey amidst Turkish forces' buildup in the region.
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