The United States has voiced its support for Israel’s military incursion into Syria, with State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller framing the operation as a defensive measure. Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Miller defended the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) advance beyond the Golan Heights buffer zone, stating it aimed to prevent militants from establishing a foothold near Israel’s border. “Every country has the right to take action against terrorist organizations,” Miller emphasized, adding that the operation is essential for border security.
The Israeli move comes in response to the recent upheaval in Syria, where opposition forces overran Damascus, leading to former President Bashar Assad’s flight from the country. On Sunday, Israeli troops entered the demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights, a region occupied by Israel since 1967. By Monday, they had advanced into Syria itself. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced plans to establish a “security area” devoid of “heavy strategic weapons and terrorist infrastructure.”
US Stance: Support for Security, Call for Temporariness
Miller noted that the Syrian Army’s withdrawal from the buffer zone had created a potential power vacuum. “That would threaten the state of Israel and civilians inside Israel,” he explained. Miller underscored Washington’s view that Israel’s actions are temporary, tied to immediate security concerns. “This is a temporary action… We want to see the 1974 disengagement agreement upheld,” he said, referring to the pact establishing the demilitarized zone.
The 1974 disengagement agreement, signed after the Yom Kippur War, delineated the buffer zones and called for Israel’s withdrawal from newly occupied areas. While Miller reiterated the U.S. expectation that Israel would eventually return to its previous positions, his comments clashed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rhetoric.
Netanyahu Signals a Different Intent
At a press conference on Monday night, Netanyahu declared, “The Golan Heights will forever be an inseparable part of the state of Israel,” casting doubt on the temporariness of the operation. Netanyahu justified the move by claiming that the disengagement agreement had “collapsed” following the Syrian Army’s abandonment of its positions.
Global Backlash
The Israeli incursion has sparked sharp international criticism. The UN condemned the move, describing it as a violation of the disengagement agreement. “There should be no military forces or activities in the area of separation,” the UN stated. Several Middle Eastern nations have accused Israel of exploiting the Syrian conflict for territorial gains.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry labeled the incursion a “blatant attack on Syria’s sovereignty and unity” and a “flagrant violation of international law.” Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan issued similar statements, with Saudi Arabia calling on Israel to respect international agreements and Syria’s territorial integrity.
As the situation unfolds, questions remain over whether Israel’s military presence in Syria will indeed be as temporary as Washington claims or if it signals a long-term shift in the geopolitics of the Golan Heights.