Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz visited Mount Bental in the Golan Heights at an observation point overlooking the Syrian border following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime. During the visit, they received a detailed briefing on developments along the Syrian border and the reinforcement of IDF forces in the area.
Netanyahu characterized the event as "a historic day in Middle East history," claiming that the regime's "collapse is the direct result of our forceful action against Hezbollah and Iran, Assad's main supporters." He emphasized that the regime's collapse "set off a chain reaction of all those who want to free themselves from this tyranny and its oppression."
Video: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Israel-Syria border / Credit: X/ IsraeliPM
Addressing the security situation, Netanyahu clarified, "We have to take action against possible threats. One of them is the collapse of the Separation of Forces Agreement from 1974 between Israel and Syria. This agreement held for 50 years. Last night, it collapsed. The Syrian army abandoned its positions. We gave the Israeli army the order to take over these positions to ensure that no hostile force embeds itself right next to the border of Israel. This is a temporary defensive position until a suitable arrangement is found."
Defense Minister Katz reinforced the security message, emphasizing Israel's determination to prevent a return to vulnerability along the border, promising to protect all Golan Heights communities – both Jewish and Druze.
While maintaining a firm security stance, Netanyahu delivered a message of openness. He recalled the Israeli field hospital that treated thousands of Syrians during the civil war, noting that hundreds of Syrian children were born in Israel. He extended "a hand of peace" to the Druze – "who are brothers of our Druze brothers in Israel" – as well as "to the Kurds, to the Christians, and to the Muslims who want to live in peace with Israel."
Netanyahu concluded by stating, "If we can establish neighborly relations and peaceful relations with the new forces emerging in Syria, that's our desire. But if we do not, we will do whatever it takes to defend the State of Israel and the border of Israel."
