Israel Katz says IDF to remain in Syrian buffer zone 'indefinitely'
'The IDF will remain on Mount Hermon peak and in the security zone for an indefinite period of time to ensure the security of the residents of the State of Israel'
Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that Israeli forces would remain in the Syrian buffer zone "indefinitely," overturning past statements that said the presence would be temporary.
"The IDF will remain on Mount Hermon peak and in the security zone for an indefinite period of time to ensure the security of the residents of the State of Israel," Katz told IDF soldiers on the Syrian part of the Hermon. "We will not allow hostile forces to establish themselves in the security zone in southern Syria."
Katz vowed that Israel would remain in control of its security, establishing connections with "with friendly populations in the area, with an emphasis on the large Druze population."
He met with soldiers serving in the area, including the elite Alpinist fighters, a reserve unit. "I came here to ensure that the IDF is well prepared in defense and attack for a prolonged stay in the Hermon posts," Katz said.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month told Jake Sullivan, the former US national security advisor, that the IDF presence in Syria would be temporary.
Katz's statement indicate that this policy may have shifted since the Trump administration came into power in Washington.