Israel’s military organizes tourist tours in occupied parts of Syria
On Sunday, Israel’s military (IDF) organizes the first trip around the Golan Heights. The tour extends 2.5 kilometers into parts of the Syrian territory that Israel has taken control over the past few months, according to The Guardian.
The trip is arranged twice a day for a week in small groups where tourists are escorted by military in bulletproof buses. According to several media, the tickets until the opening day ended almost at once. IDF is a co-organizer together with more players such as the Governor’s regional council and Israel’s nature and park authority.
In addition to the international community, in addition to the United States, the Golan Heights are recognized as part of Syria. However, Israel occupies parts of the Golan Heights. Since 1974, the area has been a demilitarized buffer zone between Israel and Syria.
After Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December, Israel has taken over larger parts of the area. DN has previously written about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus’s statement about Israel’s advance in the buffer zone.
« The Detention Agreement from 1974 no longer applies, as the regime that signed has disappeared and its soldiers moved the field, » said Israel’s President Benjamin Netanyahu in December.
According to experts like DN talked to when the agreement was concluded between two states, not two regimes. The UN has also criticized The act as a violation of the downtime agreement from the 1970s.
In recent months, the government of Israel has given green light to expand the Jewish settlements in the occupied Golan Heights.
To the newspaper Haaretz Idf says that the planned tourist trip is taking place within the boundaries of Israel.
The tours are a part of a major Israeli tourist project aimed at increasing civilian presence at Israel’s northern borders after the fighting began after October 7, 2023, when terrorist stamped Hamas carried out his bloody scared in Israel.
« It is important for us to get tourism back in the region and tell the story of the battles that were fought during the war, » said the military according to The Guardian.
According to the travel plan, the buses will stop at landmarks such as a train station from the Ottoman Empire and the Mountain Hermon. Before the trip, participants may sign a document that they are aware that they are participating at their own risk. The activity can also be set at short notice if the security situation in the area changes.
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