Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz made a rare visit to troops in southern Syria on Tuesday, reiterating a pledge to keep forces in the area as long as there were “threats” to his country’s security.
“There is daily activity here to thwart threats, to eliminate remnants of the old regime, to prevent dangerous consolidation of the new regime,” Mr. Katz said according to a video statement from his office. “The message is clear to the president of Syria as well: when you wake up in the morning in your palace in Damascus, look up at Mount Hermon and see the IDF — you know we are here to protect our communities and our border,” he added. “As long as there are threats, the IDF will remain here to guarantee our security — this is what we have done and this is what we intend to continue doing in the future,” Mr. Katz said. Syria’s Foreign Ministry said Mr. Katz’s visit was a “flagrant violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
