Israel captured most of the plateau from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War, annexing it in 1981. Syria demands Israel withdraw but Israel refuses. Various peace efforts have failed.

Israel's "demographic development" plan to increase settler numbers only applies to the area of the Golan Heights that Israel seized during the Six Day War in 1967 and later annexed in 1981 and not to territory taken since al-Assad's ouster.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken says U.S. officials have made direct contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. HTS’s leader condemned Israel’s incursion into Syria.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel does not want conflict with Syria. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

The head of Syria’s most powerful rebel faction has signalled that his forces do not want new conflicts despite a wave of Israeli attacks on the country since the toppling of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

The threats to Israel from Syria remain despite the moderate tone of rebel leaders who ousted President Bashar al-Assad a week ago, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday, amid military moves by his country to counter such threats.