Netanyahu says indefinite transfer of the Golan Heights to Israeli control

The Golan Heights will forever remain an integral part of Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a press conference on December 9.

"Today everyone understands the importance of our control over the Golan Heights <...>. The Golan Heights will forever remain an integral part of Israel," the Barron's newspaper quoted the prime minister as saying.

To top it all off, Netanyahu added that Israeli strikes against Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah movement and Iran were the reason for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's termination of power.

"We are changing the face of the Middle East. We want to see a different Syria and we are extending our hand to those who want to live in peace," the Israeli prime minister concluded.

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Shortly before, Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh said that the country intends to notify the UN Security Council about violations of the republic's sovereignty after the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) strikes on Damascus and the military's actions in the Golan Heights.

On the eve of the national coalition of revolutionary and opposition forces of Syria announced to work on the formation of a transitional authority. In turn, Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi al-Jalali said that most of the ministers of the Syrian government remain in Damascus, and he himself is ready to cooperate with any elected leadership.

Against this backdrop, the IDF announced the deployment of forces along the Syrian border to ensure the safety of communities in the Golan Heights and Israeli citizens. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the demarcation agreement with Syria has been terminated due to the withdrawal of Syrian troops. Later it was reported that the Israeli military took control of Mount Hermon.

The situation in Syria escalated as a result of a major attack by armed formations in Aleppo and Idlib, which began on November 28 and led to the Syrian army's retaliation against the militants.