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By Shamim Chowdhury
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United Nations peacekeepers have warned that Israel is violating a ceasefire agreement with Syria as it continues a major construction project along the Demilitarized Zone separating the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syria.
The U.N. Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which has monitored the area—known as the Alpha Line—since 1974, said the Israeli military's activities along the border could exacerbate an already fragile situation.
The construction, which began in July, includes the development of roadways and a buffer zone similar to those Israel has implemented along its southern borders, including with Gaza.
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While the works have not sparked direct violence in the Golan Heights, UNDOF said it feared that it poses risks of further inflaming regional tensions.
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Why is Israel Carrying Out Construction Work in the Golan Heights?
It said the Israeli military's ongoing activities violate the terms of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which established the Demilitarized Zone and called for both Israel and Syria to maintain a buffer to prevent hostilities.
The peacekeepers warned that these activities by Israel could worsen the situation in the region. "Such severe violations of the (Demilitarized Zone) have the potential to increase tensions in the area," the force said, adding that the situation is being "closely monitored" by UNDOF.
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Satellite images show over 4.6 miles of construction along the Alpha Line, extending southeast from the Israeli-controlled Druze town of Majdal Shams.
The images show a trench between two embankments, parts of which appear to be freshly paved with asphalt.
A fence can also be seen running along the route toward the Syrian side of the border.
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Is Israel Violating a Ceasefire Deal?
The Israeli military has reportedly deployed armored vehicles and tanks to protect earthmoving equipment, with some vehicles crossing into the Demilitarized Zone, which is considered a violation of the ceasefire deal.
UNDOF confirmed that Israel's engineering works had crossed into the area of separation (AOS), and that this was the latest in a series of violations linked to the project.
Israel maintains that the construction is necessary for defense, aimed at preventing unauthorized crossings and protecting its territory from potential civilian incursions.
It has not officially commented on the recent allegations, but in June, Israel sent a 71-page letter to the U.N. accusing Syria of violating the ceasefire by allowing armed personnel to operate within the Alpha Line.
The letter also claimed that Syrian civilians regularly crossed into the area, a charge that Syria has denied.
Who Lives in the Golan Heights?
Israel seized control of the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War, and annexed the region in 1981, a move that was condemned by the UN.
The U.N. has continued to monitor the region, with UNDOF troops patrolling the roughly 155-square-mile Demilitarized Zone.
So far, Syria has not publicly commented on the latest construction activities, though UNDOF reported that Syria has 'strongly protested' the project.
Around 50,000 people, including Jewish settlers and Arabs, primarily from the Druze community of Shiite Islam, live in the Golan Heights.
In 2019, President Donald Trump declared that the U.S. would "fully recognize" Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a move that has been maintained by the Biden administration.
However, the U.S. remains the only country to adopt this stance, with the international community continuing to regard the Golan Heights as occupied Syrian territory.
This article contains additional reporting from The Associated Press
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