Saudi Arabia: Kingdom Condemns Israeli Plan to Increase Population in Golan Heights

Israeli Troops in the Syrian Golan Heights, Photo: Aljazeera

December 15, 2024 Hour: 1:48 pm

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia condemned the Israeli government’s approval of a plan aimed at doubling the population of the occupied and annexed Golan Heights.

The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “unanimously approved” an $11 million initiative for the “demographic development of the Golan,” citing the ongoing war and new developments in Syria as factors driving the desire to increase the population in that region.

In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry reiterated its call for the international community to condemn these Israeli actions, emphasizing the importance of respecting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The statement characterized the strategic plateau as occupied Syrian Arab land and condemned Israel’s “continued sabotage of Syria’s chances of restoring its security and stability.”

#Statement | The Foreign Ministry expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s condemnation and denunciation of the Israeli occupation forces bombing of Al-Nuseirat Camp in central #Gaza. The Kingdom affirms that the occupation forces’ repeated violations of international law and… pic.twitter.com/N9zeykeFyY
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) December 14, 2024

Israel has occupied most of the Golan Heights since 1967 and formally annexed the area in 1981, a move that has only been recognized by the United States.