Israel’s borders have shifted throughout its history. Action in Syria may reshape them again

[240B]

Israel’s borders have shifted throughout its history. Action in Syria may reshape them again

AP
By JOSEF FEDERMAN
December 17, 2024

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, entered Syrian territory Tuesday and said Israeli troops would remain in the area indefinitely, blurring the border with its northern neighbor.

Since its establishment in 1948, Israel has never had fully recognized borders. Throughout its history, the frontiers with its Arab neighbors have shifted as a result of wars, annexations, ceasefires and peace agreements.

Now, the downfall of Syrian President Bashar Assad has created a situation that could once again reshape Israel’s borders.

As Assad was toppled early this month, Israel quickly moved into the Syrian side of a 50-year-old demilitarized buffer zone. Netanyahu described the move as defensive and temporary, and said it was aimed at making sure that none of the groups jostling for power inside Syria threatened Israel.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-borders-history-syria-gaza-war-golan-5fdf8fdbe2ec2cee7b9cf7f78fbb1c8c

[DefiantMassRINO]

Most Middle East borders are lines drawn on maps by European imperial powers after World War I.

[240B]

Most Middle East borders are lines drawn on maps by European imperial powers after World War I.

Same in Africa. These arbitrary imposed colonial borders ignored age old tribal boundaries, sometimes splitting a tribal region in half. This has been the root cause of countless wars all over the world ever since.

[PeteS in CA]

Prior to the 1967 Six Day War, Syria had been using the Golan Heights to shell Israeli kibbutzes in Galilee. Israel gained control of the Golan Heights and Mt. Hermon in 1967 and kept it despite the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Israel has advanced a few hundred or a couple thousand meters farther into the Heights and the Mt. as extra buffer against the uncertain intent of whoever controls or will control Syria. "Indefinitely" may merely mean that when the situation stabilizes in Syria and if the new government shows a willingness to coexist with Israel, Israel will withdraw to the 2023 border.

In parallel, Israel has been busily destroying a large part of Syria's military assets, including chemical weapons. This may help persuade the future government of Syria that coexistence would be a wise choice.