Katz: 'Israel will not move from Mt. Hermon as long as there are jihadist threats'
Defense Minister Israel Katz reviewed IDF troops stationed on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon following Israeli strikes in northern Syria
Defense Minister Israel Katz visited IDF troops stationed on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon on Tuesday.
He told the troops, "We will not move from Mount Hermon and the security zone as long as there are jihadist threats to the State of Israel. The message to the Syrian president is clear, when you wake up in the morning in the palace in Damascus and look up at Mount Hermon and see the IDF, you know that we are here to protect our communities and our border."
Katz reiterated the reasoning for the strikes against the Al Duhur Airbase in northern Syria, saying that the IDF acted to stop Turkish attempts at to establish outposts in Syria.
Commanders gave Katz and a slew of high-ranking officers a comprehensive review of their activities in the sector.
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Katz highlighted the strategic importance of holding the position "overlooking Damascus from above, 35 kilometers (21 miles) away, overlooking the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, a Hezbollah stronghold from above, and of course, observing and defending the settlements of the Golan Heights and the Galilee against jihadist forces."
Katz's review comes days after Mossad chief Roman Gofman met Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shibani in Amman. “Israel and Syria held a high-level meeting with the aim of easing tensions,” the source told i24NEWS, describing the talks as “good.”
The development comes after al-Shibani said that negotiations with Israel had been halted following last week’s airstrike. In an interview with Reuters, however, the Syrian foreign minister also indicated that Damascus expects negotiations over a security agreement to resume.