PM Netanyahu visits IDF posts on Syrian territory, praises soldiers ‘safeguarding Israel & Druze allies’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited IDF troops stationed in the buffer zone on Syrian territory on Wednesday, along with Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and several high-ranking officers.

The unusual visit was sharply criticized by the Syrian Foreign Ministry, which called Netanyahu the “Prime Minister of the Israeli occupation” and condemned the “severe violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” in a statement.

It also said the visit was an attempt to “impose facts on the ground.” Israel captured the former demilitarized zone along the Golan Heights frontier after the collapse of the Assad regime.

According to Israeli media reports, there are currently nine IDF outposts on Syrian territory, including two on Mount Hermon.

The main purpose of the visit was to thank the IDF troops stationed in the mountainous and windswept region, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) told The Times of Israel.

“We attach immense importance to our capability here, both defensive and offensive, safeguarding our Druze allies, and especially safeguarding the State of Israel and its northern border opposite the Golan Heights. This is a mission that can develop at any moment, but we are counting on you,” Netanyahu told the troops.

“I deeply appreciate not only what you are doing, but also the fact that your families are mobilizing for this. I want to convey to you gratitude not only from the Government of Israel, but also from the citizens of Israel and the State of Israel. Thank you very much.”

“They really appreciated the visit,” a PMO official told The Times of Israel.

“There are soldiers there on their sixth round. They said they want to continue, and they want to continue getting all the borders safe.”

According to the PMO, Netanyahu “conducted an observation of the sector” from an IDF post, and afterward held a security discussion with senior officers.

The prime minister also “met with active-duty and reserve soldiers, praised their actions during the war and their efforts to maintain security in the area, and answered their questions,” the PMO added.

He was accompanied by an unusual array of senior figures, including the defense and foreign ministers, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Yechiel Leiter, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, Shin Bet Director David Zini, National Security Council Acting Director Gil Reich, and several more generals.

The visit comes as prospects for a security arrangement with the new Syrian regime appear to be stuck, despite the recent historic visit of President Ahmed al-Sharaa to the White House.

A senior Israeli official told The Times of Israel on Wednesday that a deal is “not close yet” and appears not to be “in the cards right now.”

According to Kan News, one reason for this is Israel’s refusal to give up the IDF posts in southern Syria for anything less than a full peace deal.

However, al-Sharaa told Fox News on the sidelines of his visit that “We are not going to enter into a [peace] negotiation directly right now.”

“Syria's situation is different from the situation of the countries that were in the Abraham Accords. Syria has a border with Israel, and Israel has occupied the Golan Heights since 1967. Maybe the United States administration, with President Trump, will help us reach this kind of negotiation.”