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Netanyahu says Israel will keep Syrian territories it seized
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<span class="field field-title">Netanyahu says Israel will keep Syrian territories it seized</span>
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<div class="field field-field-text"><p data-testid="rich-text">Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will remain in the territories it seized in Syria, Haaretz reported.</p>
<p data-testid="rich-text">"We very much hope that we will be able to reach a demilitarisation agreement for southern Syria and also take care of our Druze brothers," Netanyahu said at a meeting with Israeli ambassadors.</p>
<p data-testid="rich-text">"But we want to keep these assets," he added.</p>
<p data-testid="rich-text">His comments came after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/syria-president-accuses-israel-exporting-crises-distract-gaza-massacres">reiterated his call</a> for Israel to withdraw from territories seized by Israel since December last year, and said negotiations were underway with the United States for an Israeli withdrawal.</p>
<p>Israeli forces crossed into southern Syria following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government on 8 December 2024, and continue to occupy a United Nations buffer zone - the strategic heights of Mount Hermon - which overlooks Israel, Lebanon and Syria.</p>
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