Defense Minister: Israel has no plans to withdraw from Syria

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz visited Israeli forces occupying parts of southern Syria on Tuesday, a move that prompted protests from Damascus. Israel has occupied the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967 and advanced further into the neighboring country after President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by rebels in December 2024.

Katz asserted that there are no plans to withdraw soldiers from what he described as a "security zone." "As long as there are threats, the Israeli army will remain here to guarantee our security," he stated during the visit. This declaration comes amid ongoing regional tensions and Syria's internal political transition.

Syria's new leadership strongly condemned the Israeli defense minister's visit, labeling it "an blatant violation of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity." The Syrian Foreign Ministry urged the international community to take "necessary steps to compel the occupying authorities to cease these repeated violations."

Meanwhile, the United States removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism on Monday, paving the way for extensive political and economic cooperation. U.S. Secretary of State Espen Barth Eide visited Damascus the same day, meeting with Syria's acting president, former rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa. Eide praised the Syrian leadership's progress in building a "new, inclusive Syria," stating, "Norway is proud to support this."

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Så lenge det finnes trusler, vil den israelske hæren forbli her for å garantere vår sikkerhet.