UN Urges Israel to Halt Golan Heights Settlement Expansion
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters on Tuesday that “reported plans to expand Israeli settlements in the occupied Syrian Golan must stop,” according to his remarks at a press briefing.
The statement follows Israeli approval of a five-year development plan, reported on April 16 by local media, which allocates approximately $334 million for settlement expansion and infrastructure development in the area. The plan reportedly runs from 2026 to 2030 and aims to encourage population growth and strengthen Israeli presence in the occupied territory.
Israeli officials have said the initiative is intended to develop the settlement of Katzrin into what they described as “Golan’s first city,” according to statements attributed to Cabinet Minister Ze’ev Elkin.
Under international law, the Golan Heights are recognized as Syrian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, and settlement activity there is widely regarded as illegal.
Separately, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said on April 17 that Damascus is seeking a new security arrangement with Israel that would see a withdrawal to the 1974 disengagement lines, as part of a phased approach toward broader negotiations.
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