Israeli construction in Syria´s buffer zone has alarmed the UN, which claims that the actions violate a ceasefire agreement that has existed for 50 years. Recent trenches and earth berms constructed within the Area of Separation (AoS), a strip under UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) surveillance, are visible under satellite pictures. The construction has prompted warnings of heightened tensions along the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
The captured footage shows the ongoing construction, including military vehicles and freshly dug earthworks near Majdal Shams and further south. While most of the construction is said to be done in Israel-controlled areas, UNDOF Chief of Mission Bernard Lee confirmed that a handful of trenches, protected by military vehicles, have crossed into AoS. UNDOF has yet to release visual proof.
According to Israel, the trenches serve as defensive measures meant to keep Iranian-backed militants in Syria. Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) spokesman Lt Col Nadav Shoshani stated that these activities stay within Israeli territory. He said that the construction is for strengthening the border security against the possible threat of smuggling routes used to carry weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The AoS, established in 1974, has historically served to keep Israeli and Syrian forces apart. Both with Israel required to stay west of the Alpha Line and Syria east of the Bravo Line. Despite the fragile calm, tensions have remained, with both sides accusing each other of ceasefire violations. Syria, facing its internal challenges, also varies from the Iranian-backed group but remains unwilling to escalate the situation with Israel.
For residents like a Syrian eco-lodge owner, the presence of the new trenches offers a mixed sense of security. “We can sleep in peace because there’s someone taking care of the border and not letting terrorists cross towards us,” he explained while acknowledging the ever-present risk of conflict due to the Israeli construction in Syria´s buffer zone.
