United Nations has called on Israel to stop expanding settlements in the occupied Golan Heights, warning that recent development plans should not move forward.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that reported Israeli plans to expand settlements in the territory must be halted. The criticism follows Israel’s approval of a five-year plan worth hundreds of millions of dollars aimed at expanding infrastructure and population growth in the area.
In simple terms, Israel wants to significantly develop settlements in the Golan Heights, but the UN and others argue that this land is internationally recognized as occupied Syrian territory and that settlement expansion there is illegal under international law.
The development plan reportedly includes transforming the settlement of Katzrin into a larger urban center, signaling long-term expansion intentions.
At the same time, diplomatic discussions are emerging between Israel and Syria. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has said Damascus is seeking a new security agreement that would include Israeli withdrawal to the 1974 disengagement lines as a first step toward broader negotiations.
He suggested that while past agreements held for decades, recent developments have undermined them, and renewed talks could eventually address the final status of the Golan Heights.
Overall, the situation reflects a mix of rising settlement activity, international legal disputes, and tentative diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in a long-standing territorial conflict.
Source: AA
