Israel authorises the expansion of the settlement in Golan Heights by $11.13 million

INN/New Delhi, @Infodeaofficial

A comprehensive plan to expand settlements in the occupied Golan Heights has been unanimously approved by the Israeli government, which has allocated approximately $11.13 million to the project. Following recent political unrest in Syria, the decision was made on Sunday, coinciding with increased regional tensions.

In order to justify the proposal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointed to what he described as a “new front” in the wake of the overthrow of the Assad administration last month, citing security concerns along Israel’s border with Syria. In order to handle the surge of new residents, the expansion proposal includes money for educational programs, renewable energy projects, a student community, and organisational development support for the Golan Regional Council.

There are currently about 50,000 people living in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, who are equally divided between Israeli settlers and a variety of Druze, Alawite, and other populations. The goal of the new plan is to greatly expand the number of Israeli settlers in the area.
Several Arab countries have swiftly condemned the announcement. Through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the United Arab Emirates condemned the move, warning of possible regional escalation and reaffirmed its commitment to Syria’s territorial integrity. Referring to the action as “a new chapter in a series of Israeli attacks on Syrian territories,” Qatar called for international action to stop the spread. Saudi Arabia expressly denounced the settlement plan, adding its voice to the rising resistance.

According to international law, the Golan Heights, which Israel seized during the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981, are still considered occupied territory. The international community generally rejects Israeli sovereignty over the region, and the United States is the only country to recognise Israel’s annexation of the region.