Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has stated that Israel does not plan to withdraw from areas it considers “safe zones” in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza.
“We will not withdraw – neither from Lebanon, nor from Syria, nor from Gaza – from the security zones. This is our policy and we will continue it,” he said.
Katz described the presence of Israeli forces as part of the country’s security strategy, emphasizing that the army must remain in the territories across the border to prevent threats to Israel.
“We are up here, they are down there. The residents are outside, the soldiers are inside, and the houses have been destroyed,” the Israeli minister declared.
He has previously reiterated that Israel intends to keep troops in the security zones in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, arguing that they are necessary for the protection of Israeli borders and communities.
The statement comes at a time of ongoing tensions in the region and while the issue of the Israeli military presence in these territories remains one of the main points of conflict with regional and international actors. /Telegraph/