Qatar criticised the Israeli settlement plan as an aggression on Syrian territories, and called on the international community to act in response.
Several Arab nations have condemned Israel’s approval of a settlement plan in the Golan Heights, calling it an “opportunistic scheme” that threatens regional stability.
The condemnation comes after the Israeli government’s unanimous approval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to advance “demographic development” in the occupied Golan Heights, aiming to double the Israeli settler population in the region.
Qatar has criticised the move, describing it as part of a pattern of “Israeli aggressions on Syrian territories” and calling on the international community to act in response to the settlement plan.
The new plan applies to the part of the Golan Heights that Israel has occupied since 1967. This area includes Mount Hermon, which overlooks Damascus and had been demilitarised under a post-1973 war agreement.
In 1981, Israel officially annexed the territory, in direct contravention of international law.
Netanyahu said that the plan will allocate more than 40 million shekels ($11m) to boost the settler population.
Approximately 50,000 people currently reside there, half of whom are Israeli settlers while the remaining population includes Druze and Alawite communities.
“Strengthening the Golan is strengthening the State of Israel… We will continue to hold onto it, cause it to blossom, and settle in it,” Netanyahu stated.
The decision signals an attempt to solidify Israeli control in a region that remains occupied Syrian territory.
Despite international law deeming Israel’s occupation illegal, former U.S. President Trump was the first to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the area in 2019.
Netanyahu also discussed Syria and Gaza ceasefire efforts with Trump, before reportedly saying “We have no interest in conflict with Syria”.
Threat to Syria’s sovereignty
The Israeli settlement plan marks a turning point amid a volatile regional backdrop, as Israel continues its 14-month genocide of the Gaza Strip. Syria too is undergoing a political transformation, after the overthrow of Bashar Al-Assad last week in a lightning offensive led by opposition force Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other rebel forces.
In addition to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has also voiced its opposition, stating that the plan risks escalating tensions and violates international law.
The UAE’s foreign ministry emphasised that such expansion undermines Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Iraq has also joined in the condemnation, reiterating that the Golan Heights is occupied Syrian land and that Israel’s attempts to alter the region’s legal status are invalid.
Saudi Arabia added its voice to the growing criticism, accusing Israel of sabotaging Syria’s ability to achieve stability and security.
It underscored the need for the international community to hold Israel accountable while reaffirming Syria’s territorial integrity as a core regional concern.
