LONDON: Israel’s sporadic strikes on southern Syria and its push to demilitarize the region are prompting concern about an alleged plan to carve up the country. At the center of speculation is a land bridge — a so-called David’s Corridor — from the occupied Golan Heights in the south to Kurdish-controlled territory in the northeast.
These concerns intensified in July, when Israel carried out several airstrikes on government buildings in Damascus and against Syrian forces near Suweida, saying it sought to protect the Druze minority amid deadly sectarian clashes.
On Aug. 28, Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was “focusing on three things: protecting the Druze community in the Suweida governorate, but not only there; creating a demilitarized zone stretching from the Golan Heights (passing) south of Damascus down to and including Suweida; and establishing a humanitarian corridor to allow the delivery of aid.”
Satellite images analyzed by BBC Verify show new Israeli bases built in and around the UN-patrolled demilitarized zone. (Reuters)
In a video shared by his office, the Israeli prime minister claimed that discussions with the Syrian government on these measures were underway.
