Israeli soldiers light Hanukkah candles in occupied Syria

Israeli troops were photographed lighting Hanukkah candles within occupied territories of Syria, and in Gaza as well as the West Bank, according to the Middle East Eye and agencies on December 15th.

Syria’s Golan Heights has been occupied by Israel since its capture during the Six-Day War, with the UN-patrolled buffer zone that separated Israeli and Syrian troops being seized by Israeli forces following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government on December 8th, 2024.

An estimated 25,000 Israelis live in settlements in the Golan Heights, with various settlement groups seeking to increase that number.

Middle East Eye and agencies, Maghrebi.org