Satellite Images Reveal Israeli Construction of a Buffer Zone in the Golan Heights

The United Nations has accused the Israeli occupation of committing “grave violations” of an agreement signed with Syria fifty years ago, noting that “Israel has undertaken significant engineering activities that encroach upon a vital buffer zone in the Golan Heights.”

Satellite images released by Planet Labs and the European Space Agency reveal that the Israeli military began excavation activities near Jbata al-Khashab in Syria in mid-August. The images show the construction of a 12-meter-wide earth berm.

The trench extends approximately eight kilometers, with ongoing efforts to expand it further. Recent images published by Planet Labs on November 5 show excavators and other vehicles actively working in the area.

In a related report, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) confirmed “extensive engineering activities” along the Alpha Line, the demarcation line separating Syria from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

UNDOF stated that the construction activities began in July, involving excavators and earth-moving equipment, accompanied by protection from armored vehicles and soldiers.

Additionally, Israeli tanks have occasionally been observed in the demilitarized zone, which constitutes a violation of the 1974 agreement.

The U.N. peacekeeping mission reported that it has repeatedly engaged with the Israeli military to protest these construction activities. Syrian authorities have also voiced “strong objections” to the construction.

“The Separation Zone”

Under the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Syria in 1974, a “separation zone” was established following Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights.

The agreement stipulated that Israeli forces remain west of the Alpha Line, while Syrian forces stay east of the Bravo Line, which runs alongside the separation zone.

In a unilateral move, Israel annexed the Golan Heights in 1981, a decision unrecognized by the international community, though the United States granted recognition in 2019.

Today, the Golan Heights is home to several Israeli settlers, along with approximately 20,000 Syrians, mostly Druze, who remained in the area after the occupation took control.

On other fronts, the Israeli military has constructed multiple roads and established a buffer zone along the border with the besieged Gaza Strip. It has also begun demolishing several villages in southern Lebanon, where U.N. forces have reportedly come under fire.