Israeli forces will not withdraw from Gaza, Lebanon and Syria
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that the military "under no circumstances" will withdraw from these territories during an August 12th visit to army positions on the front line in southern Lebanon.
Despite escalating tensions in the Middle East, the Israeli military will not withdraw from Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, according to Middle East Eye via i24NEWS on August 12th.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that the military “under no circumstances” will withdraw from these territories during an August 12th visit to army positions on the front line in southern Lebanon.
Syria’s Golan Heights have been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Six-Day War, before being annexed by Israel in 1981, a move recognised as legitimate by the US and Colombia.
Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024, Israel has controlled increasing amounts of Syrian territory, including the strategically important Mount Hermon, which overlooks Damascus.
On August 11th, Israeli forces established a temporary checkpoint in Syria’s Kudha region, which historically hosted an Israeli military base.
In July, Israel announced plans to establish permanent military posts in southern Lebanon to entrench Israeli control further.
Since the October 2025 ceasefire, Israel has used the “yellow line” in Gaza to increase the Palestinian territory it has control over.
On August 5th, it was reported that Israeli forces were setting up polling stations in occupied areas of Gaza, Lebanon and Syria to facilitate voting for soldiers stationed beyond Israel’s legally recognised borders.
Under the “Greater Israel” plan, Israel envisions expanding its borders to fully encompass the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza, Syria’s Golan Heights, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, parts of Lebanon and Jordan.
This is part of a broader campaign to maintain a Jewish demographic majority through Jewish-only settlement expansion, despite settlement expansion being illegal under international law.
An estimated 700,000 Israelis reside in Jewish-only settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem; an estimated 25,000 Israelis reside in settlements in the Golan Heights.
In December 2025, Katz expressed support for establishing Jewish settlements in Gaza and insisted that Israeli forces would remain “deep inside Gaza.”
Jewish settlers have sought to re-establish settlements in Gaza and increase settlement outposts in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.
Settlements in Gaza were dismantled in 2005 under then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as part of the settler disengagement plan.
Katz has sought to establish Nahal settlements in northern Gaza to encourage Haredi Jews to enlist in the military.
Middle East Eye via i24NEWS, Al Jazeera and agencies, Maghrebi.org
Want to chase the pulse of North Africa?
Subscribe to receive our FREE weekly PDF magazine
