The Israeli government has unanimously approved a controversial plan to expand settlements in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, with a budget exceeding 40 million shekels ($11.13 million).
The initiative aims to “encourage demographic growth” in the Golan and the settlement of Katzrin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Sunday. The Golan Heights, internationally recognised as Syrian territory, has been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Middle East war.
Netanyahu stated that the decision aligns with Israel’s goal to double the Golan’s population despite heightened tensions following recent conflict on the Syrian front. The plan includes investments in education, renewable energy projects, and infrastructure to accommodate new settlers.
The approval follows Netanyahu’s reaffirmation of Israel’s commitment to the Golan Heights, a territory he claims will “forever remain an integral part of the State of Israel.” In 2019, then-US President Donald Trump recognised Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan, a move widely condemned internationally.
Currently, around 50,000 people reside in the occupied Golan Heights, half of whom are Israeli settlers. The region hosts 33 Jewish settlements governed by the Golan Regional Council.
Meanwhile, Israel has intensified military operations across Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, deploying forces within the demilitarised buffer zone, effectively disregarding the 1974 disengagement agreement. This deployment has drawn criticism from the United Nations and Arab nations for violating Syrian sovereignty.
