Government denounces Israel's seizure of Golan buffer zone

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi condemned on Monday Israeli decision to seize control of a demilitarized buffer zone in the occupied Golan Heights.

"We condemn Israel for entering Syrian territory and taking control of the buffer zone," Safadi told the Lower House.

Safadi called the move a "violation of international law."

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday he had ordered the army to seize the demilitarised zone in the Syrian-controlled part of the Golan Heights after rebels captured Damascus and other major cities and forced president Bashar Al Assad to leave the country. 

Israel occupied the Golan from Syria in the Arab-Israeli war of 1967 and then annexed it in 1981 in a move not recognised by the international community, except by the US in 2019. 

A buffer zone was established in 1974 to separate the Israeli-held and Syrian territories, with UN peacekeepers stationed there since then.

Safadi reiterated that the government will continue supporting the Syrian people under His Majesty King Abdullah's directives, adding that the Kingdom will continue monitoring the situation in the northern neighbor. 

He also said that the government will support any political path the Syrians devise to end the crisis and restore security and stability to their country. 

"A stable Syria is a top strategic interest for Jordan and the entire Arab region," he said. 

The foreign minister said that resolving the issue of refugees lies in their voluntary return to their homeland.  

According to official figures, Jordan is home to around 1.3 million Syrians, including nearly 660,000 refugees registered UNHCR, out of more than 5 million Syrian refugees in Jordan and neighboring countries.