Israel has recently faced accusations from the United Nations (UN) for breaching a 50-year-old agreement with Syria. The 1974 Disengagement Agreement established a buffer zone in the Golan Heights to separate the two countries. The UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) reports that Israel’s recent construction activities have encroached into this buffer area.
Stretching nearly five miles, this trench and additional earthworks, such as berms, run along the demarcation line between Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights. The UN also reports the use heavy machinery and occasionally main battle tanks, which it claims violates the original agreement.
Israel defends these actions, saying they are necessary for security. Officials argue that the trench and other structures aim to prevent unauthorized crossings and protect against threats from Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia active in Lebanon and Syria. Israel views the Golan Heights, a strategically important plateau seized in 1967 and annexed in 1981, as crucial for defense, especially against Syria and Iran.
The 1974 agreement has maintained peace between the countries, despite their formal state of war. UN peacekeepers in the buffer zone have helped ease tensions over the years.
Navvar Saban, an expert on Iran’s influence in the region, suggests that Israel’s actions are precautionary. He believes Israel is fortifying defenses against Hezbollah, although he doubts the group will launch attacks from the Golan. Despite this, recent mutual accusations of ceasefire violations have escalated tensions in the region.
