Israel captures Syrian territory after Assad regime collapse

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Axios

3 hours ago


The Israeli military captured territory on the Syrian side of the border in the Golan Heights on Sunday after the Assad regime collapsed, the IDF said in a statement.

Why it matters: This is the first time Israel has captured territory in Syria since the war in 1973.

Israel notified the U.S. in advance about its operation to take control of the buffer zone on the border with Syria and several other key locations on the Syrian side of the border, an Israeli official told me.

Israel told the Biden administration this is a temporary move that will last a few days to a few weeks, until the security situation along the border stabilizes, Israeli and U.S. officials said.

Flashback: The 1974 separation of forces agreement between Israel and Syria created a buffer zone on the border in the Golan Heights.

The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has been deployed on both sides of the buffer zone since then.

Driving the news: Israeli and U.S. officials said that rebel groups attacked at least four UNDOF positions on the Syrian side of the buffer zone in recent days.

The IDF helped the UN Observer Force to repel the attacks.

In recent days, Israel has conveyed messages to several rebel groups in Syria, including HTS, warning them that if they move close to the border in a way that violates the Israeli-Syrian truce agreement, the IDF will take action, two Israeli officials said.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2024/12/08/syria-israel-golan-heights-assad

[nmmi]

1. Here's a pic of the Golan Heights and the buffer zone and some background

The buffer zone is the thin gray-white striped strip that contains Quneitra as one of its cities.


Golan Heights 1981 annexation, and the UN and international community response to the annexation. And the U.S. response
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3352899

[House of Roberts]

5. What is the significance of the two toned Israel part of the map?

The blue section represents what compared to the gray-green on the left?

[nmmi]

11. The gray-green on the left is the pre-1967 Israel. The blue area is the Golan Heights that Israel captured

in 1967 in the Six Day War, with some border adjustments later, and annexed by Israel in 1981.

[House of Roberts]

12. Thank you.

I wasn't sure that was the case, but I knew there had to be a reason they were colored different.
I recall reading some time ago that the Golan Heights' strategic advantage is the elevation allows increased artillery range into Israel which is why the Israelis won't give it back.

[LeftInTX]

13. I thought it was water

[nmmi]

15. You're welcome. And that's my understanding too about the Golan Heights' strategic advantage

Last edited Sun Dec 8, 2024, 11:32 PM - Edit history (1)

I recall reading some time ago that the Golan Heights' strategic advantage is the elevation allows increased artillery range into Israel which is why the Israelis won't give it back.

[uncledad]

2. Temporary?

"Israel told the Biden administration this is a temporary move that will last a few days to a few weeks, until the security situation along the border stabilizes"

Temporary, right whatever you say! I'd wager they will never give that land back.

[Igel]

3. So this was a good thing?

That "rebel groups attacked at least four UNDOF positions on the Syrian side of the buffer zone in recent days"?

No concern for attacks on UN observers?

Note that one thing that makes the situation difficult is that there's no statement that I'm aware saying that the new bosses will uphold all the agreements signed by the old bosses. In other words, will the newly supposedly ex-Islamist government actually abide by and keep the relative peace in the Golan?

[JoseBalow]

4. "The IDF helped the UN Observer Force to repel the attacks."

[uncledad]

7. No concern for attacks on UN observers?

Sure concerned about attacks from the IDF, UN and other aid workers haven't fared so well in Gaza

[Richard D]

9. How much would you like to wager?

[uncledad]

14. 10 bucks!

[Richard D]

16. OK . . .

. . . but I should warn you:

[angrychair]

6. Nothing says "neighborly"

Like kicking in their back door and taking their shit as soon as they move in.
This "violence first" move from them is getting old.
How can you expect them to honor previous agreements if Israel is unwilling to do the same?

[Richard D]

10. Are you against Biden . . .

Last edited Sun Dec 8, 2024, 08:05 PM - Edit history (1)

. . .. bombing the shit out of ISIS sites in Syria too? Or upset just if Israel takes a logical step to defend itself from more terrorists being able to cross the border?

[iemanja]

18. Israel is "defending itself"

As an empire with no end to its expansionist ambitions. I suppose Russia is defending itself too, by that logic.

[Richard D]

19. How quickly they forget

[iemanja]

20. I've forgotten nothing

Including Israel’s land grab in the West Bank.

[Bok_Tukalo]

8. Israel does a land grab?

That doesn’t sound like them.

[iemanja]

17. Of course they did

Their actions prove they have expansionist goals.