Syria condemns Israeli defense minister’s entry into its territory
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Syria’s Foreign Ministry condemned on Tuesday Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s unauthorized entry into Syrian territory, calling it a violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Earlier, several Israeli media outlets reported that Katz toured areas in Syria.
In a statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said such “hostile practices” constitute a clear provocation and violate international law and the U.N. Charter, as well as the obligations under the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, which calls for respecting ceasefire lines and not crossing them.
The ministry called on the international community to fulfill its legal and political responsibilities and take necessary measures to compel Israeli authorities to halt what it described as repeated violations.
It also called for the immediate and full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Syrian territory they had entered, a return to the disengagement line, and respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.