Israel Greenlights Initiative to Expand Settlements in the Golan Heights
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Jerusalem, Dec 15 (NationPress) The Israeli administration has given its approval for a plan aimed at expanding settlements in the Golan Heights, a territory that is currently under Israeli occupation and originally part of Syria, according to an announcement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The initiative, which amounts to 10.81 million U.S. dollars and received unanimous backing from the cabinet, is being promoted "in light of the ongoing conflict and the new front with Syria," as indicated in the statement.
The objective of this plan is to double the Israeli population residing in the Golan Heights. It encompasses the establishment of a student village, a program aimed at integrating new residents, and efforts to enhance the education system along with renewable energy infrastructure.
At the beginning of the cabinet meeting discussing the plan, Netanyahu remarked, "Strengthening the Golan is strengthening the State of Israel, and it holds special significance at this moment."
He further asserted, "We will persist in holding on to the Golan Heights, nurturing its development, and settling in it."
Israel gained control over parts of the Golan Heights during the 1967 war and subsequently annexed the area, an action that has faced international disapproval.
In the wake of the collapse of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime on December 8, Israel took possession of the UN-monitored buffer zone, a demilitarized zone set up in 1974 following a ceasefire agreement between the two nations.
Additionally, Israeli forces captured a Syrian army outpost and deployed troops on the summit of Mount Hermon located in the Golan.
In the meantime, Israel has ramped up airstrikes targeting Syrian army assets throughout the nation, asserting that these actions are necessary to prevent weapons from being "acquired by terrorist elements."
Israel's military operations have drawn condemnation from neighboring countries and have led to pleas from the international community for the respect of Syria's sovereignty.
