Is Israel trying to entrench its occupation of the Golan Heights?

Among Israel’s recent violations of Syrian sovereignty, which include hundreds of air attacks, is its renewed encroachment into the Golan Heights – with tanks and illegal settlements.

The Golan Heights spread over 1,800 square km (700 square miles) and have been a flashpoint in the region for decades.

What are the Golan Heights?

The Golan Heights are in southwestern Syria, about 60km (40 miles) south of Damascus.

They are bordered by the Yarmouk River in the south and the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) in the west.

Who do the Golan Heights belong to?

The Golan Heights are part of Syria, as recognised by the United Nations.

However, Israel occupied the Golan during the 1967 War and currently controls 1,200sq km (463sq miles) of the western part of the region.

Almost immediately after Israel occupied part of the Golan, it started to build illegal settlements there.

A UN-monitored buffer zone separates Israeli-occupied territory from the remaining part that is still under Syria’s control.

Aren’t settlements illegal?

Yes, they are illegal.

And yet, Israel has built more than 30 settlements in the area, where more than 25,000 Jewish Israelis live.

And it is still signalling that it wants to build more.

Late on Sunday, the cabinet approved an $11m plan to enhance services to existing illegal settlements and to fund a plan to bring more settlers there.

This is not happening in isolation, as Israel is also attacking sites across Syria, claiming that it is doing so in “self defence”.