Israel Katz: IDF prepared to stay in Syria for "unlimited time"

Defense Minister Israel Katz visited Mount Hermon today (Tuesday), saying that the IDF intends to remain in southern Syria for an "indefinite period" of time.

Here's the English translation:

Katz said that Israel's presence in Syria was first and foremost about protecting the north from terrorist threats emanating from Syria: "Every morning when Joulani opens his eyes in the presidential palace in Damascus, he will see the IDF watching him from the heights of Mount Hermon and remember that we are here, and throughout the security zones in southern Syria, to protect the residents of the Golan and Galilee from any threat from him and his jihadist friends."

He then articulated that policy in detail: "The IDF is preparing to stay in Syria for an unlimited time. We will hold the security zone and Mount Hermon and ensure that the entire security area in southern Syria is demilitarized and free of weapons and threats, and we will also protect the safety of the Druze in the area. Last night we operated powerfully against military targets and attacked more than 40 targets in southern Syria to implement the policy we announced and warned about, and to thwart threats to the State of Israel."

Katz added that "We will strengthen the connection with the residents of the area and soon on the 16th of the month, Druze workers will begin working in the Golan Heights settlements."

Arab media has reported efforts or successful efforts by Syrian President al-Julani to reach an agreement with the Syrian Druze to fully integrate them into the Syrian state, along the lines of the agreement he reached previously with the Kurds in the north of the country.

Pro-Israel activist Yosef Haddad bemoaned this development, saying in a post on X that Israel missed a historic opportunity to reach an agreement with the Druze and prevent the emergence of a united Turkish-Jihadi bloc on its northern border.