Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday morning declared that the IDF will continue to hold Mount Hermon and maintain the necessary security zone to defend communities in the Golan Heights and Galilee.
The statement came amid advanced diplomatic negotiations with Syria, and reports of a ceasefire in the near future.
Katz said the decision stems from the lessons of October 7 and the need to prepare for future threats on the northern front.
“We will not allow the Israel-Syria border to become a threat to our communities,” he stressed.
He added that Israel will also act to protect the Druze population in Syria, in light of the threats to it from forces operating in the area.
“Our moral responsibility is clear, and we will continue to act accordingly,” he promised.
On Monday night, Israeli officials confirmed Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s comments that both sides are aiming to reach a security agreement by the end of September, though a security source said Tuesday morning that the chances of meeting that goal are low.
According to Israeli sources, the deal under discussion would be a non-aggression pact: Israel would pledge not to strike inside Syria, while Syria would guarantee protection for the country’s Druze minority.
On Monday, President al-Sharaa met with senior Arab journalists, telling them that advanced talks are underway for a security agreement with Israel based on the 1974 disengagement accord.
Next month, al-Sharaa is expected to attend the UN General Assembly in New York for the first time and deliver a speech on behalf of Syria — a historic event intended to cement his restored international standing.