The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates on Tuesday, August 25, condemned Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s entry into Syrian territory.

The ministry said in a statement that Katz’s entry into Syrian territory and his crossing of the international border constituted a “flagrant violation” of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

According to the Foreign Ministry, these actions represent a “clear provocation” and a violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.

It added that the move constitutes a breach of the obligations under the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, including its requirements to respect ceasefire lines and not cross them.

The ministry called on the international community to assume its legal and political responsibilities and take the necessary measures to compel Israel to halt what it described as repeated violations.

It also demanded the “immediate and complete” withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Syrian territory into which they had advanced, a return to the disengagement line, and respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

No Withdrawal From Buffer Zone

In the same context, The Times of Israel reported that Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reiterated during a visit to the area on Tuesday that the Israeli military would not withdraw from the buffer zone in southern Syria.

The newspaper quoted Katz as saying that Israel would not move from Mount Hermon and the security zone as long as there were jihadist threats to Israel.

Katz addressed a message to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying that when he “wakes up in the morning at the palace in Damascus, looks at Mount Hermon and sees the Israeli army, he knows that we are here to defend our communities and our borders.”

The Israeli defense minister added that his country had acted against a Turkish attempt to establish a presence in Syria that would put Israeli security interests at risk, referring to the strike that targeted a Syrian airbase last week.

Katz said Israel had made its position on the matter clear and would continue to adhere to it in the future.

Previous Movements

Katz’s visit comes amid escalating Israeli military activity in southern Syria.

Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visited Israeli forces in the area on August 19 and conducted a situation assessment with officers from the Northern Command and the 210th Division, according to Israel Hayom.

During the visit, Zamir said the Israeli military was monitoring developments in the Syrian arena and would not allow, in his words, “hostile forces” to establish themselves near the Israeli border.

He said the military had established a “forward defense zone” inside Syria that serves as a buffer zone in front of Israeli communities, with Israeli forces deployed there.

Zamir was accompanied during the tour by Northern Command chief Rafi Milo, 210th Division commander Yair Palai, the commander of the 474th Regional Brigade, and several other military commanders.

He also conducted an assessment of the operational situation and reviewed the deployment and readiness of the forces, saying that Israel was operating in a multi-front environment.

According to Zamir, security challenges are constantly changing and developing, and the Syrian arena represents one of these fronts. He added that the military was monitoring developments on the Syrian front and preparing to address them.

The visit came one day after an Israeli airstrike targeted Abu al-Duhur Airbase (Idlib, northwestern Syria). Israel said the strike was intended to prevent Turkish forces from establishing a presence at the base, while the attack drew criticism from Turkey and the United States.

Israeli Escalation

Israeli positions toward the Turkish presence in Syria have escalated. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a post on X on August 20 that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria, warning that Israel would not allow any entity to threaten its security.

Katz’s remarks came after Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir toured southern Syria, where he inspected Israeli forces deployed in the area and met reserve soldiers.

The statements come amid growing tensions between Israel and Turkey over the nature of Turkish military activity in Syria.

Israel links its position to concerns over the growing Turkish presence, particularly in areas close to its borders, while Ankara says it will continue its military and security cooperation with the Syrian government and rejects Israeli interventions in Syria.

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