Netanyahu says Israel plans to control Syrian part of Hermon Ridge

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will continue to control the Syrian part of the Hermon Ridge until the security of the Jewish state is guaranteed in a new way, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Dec. 17.

"We will determine the best solution that will ensure our security," The Times of Israel quoted him as saying during a visit to the ridge with the defense minister, the chief of general staff and other senior commanders.

According to Netanyahu, the importance of this position to Israel's security has only increased in recent years and especially in recent weeks due to the escalating situation in Syria.

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Earlier on December 8, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad resigned as head of state after talks with the opposition and left the country, instructing a peaceful transfer of power. The National Coalition of Revolutionary and Opposition Forces of Syria said it was working on the formation of a transitional authority.

Against this backdrop, Netanyahu said that the demarcation agreement with Syria has been terminated due to the withdrawal of Syrian troops. The IDF deployed forces along the Syrian border to ensure the safety of Israeli citizens and communities in the Golan Heights and took control of the Hermon mountain range. In addition, the Israeli military has struck Syrian targets several times.

According to political analyst Alexander Hazaridi, who spoke to Izvestia, Israel is pursuing an aggressive policy against the backdrop of the crisis in Syria and intends to capitalize on it by gaining a foothold in the Golan Heights in the former buffer zone.

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 retaliatory actions against the militants.