Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sparked a wave of political controversy following statements he made during a graduation ceremony for officers in the Israeli army. Netanyahu described the current borders with Arab countries as 'previous borders,' a clear indication that his government does not recognize internationally recognized border lines and seeks to impose a new geographical reality.
Informed sources reported that these statements cannot be considered a mere slip of the tongue, but rather an accurate expression of a strategic vision adopted by Tel Aviv to expand security zones. This policy aims to seize additional areas in southern Lebanon and Syrian territories, in addition to strengthening absolute control over the Gaza Strip under security pretexts.
In the field context, the occupation forces deliberately established a buffer zone inside Lebanese territory up to 10 kilometers deep from the international border. These measures caused a wave of forced displacement of Lebanese residents, after their villages and buildings were subjected to systematic destruction and intense air raids to ensure the area was free of any civilian presence.
These developments come at a sensitive time when Washington is witnessing a new round of negotiations between the Lebanese and Israeli sides under American patronage. The current proposal discusses the possibility of handing over parts of the territories recently occupied by Israel to the Lebanese army, as an initial step to restore Lebanese sovereignty over the occupied territories, but the Israeli position appears rigid.
For his part, Israeli Security Minister Yisrael Katz blocked any optimism for withdrawal, stressing Tel Aviv's categorical opposition to leaving the 'security zone' in Lebanon. Katz emphasized that the Israeli army would remain in the areas it controlled in Lebanon, Syria, and the Gaza Strip as long as security necessity dictated, disregarding international pressure.
As for the Gaza Strip, data revealed a significant expansion in the area of Israeli control, which increased from 53% to about 64% of the total area of the Strip. This expansion occurred through the designation of new prohibited areas in maps sent to relief organizations, which reduces the areas available to Palestinians and tightens the military blockade.
On the level of political agreements, the 'Peace Council,' formed last year with the mediation of US President Donald Trump, continues to oversee the ceasefire stages. Despite the UN Security Council's approval of this council, Israeli practices on the ground indicate a continuous تجاوز of the agreed-upon truce terms.
On the Syrian front, Israeli violations continue daily in the southern regions, where forces carry out raids and searches of homes and set up military checkpoints. These violations include arrests of civilians, including children and shepherds, in the absence of any international deterrent to these military movements.
For his part, Syrian President Ahmed Al-Shara explained that the negotiation process with the Israeli side faces major obstacles and has not yet reached a dead end despite the difficulties. Al-Shara indicated that the main obstacle is Israel's insistence on maintaining its military presence within Syrian territory and its refusal to return to the lines before the last escalation.
Israel had exploited the events that followed the fall of the former regime in Damascus in September 2024 to declare the collapse of the 1974 disengagement agreement. Accordingly, Israeli forces occupied the buffer zone in the Golan, considering that the old agreements were no longer binding on it in light of the new regional changes.
The borders with Arab countries are merely previous borders.
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Netanyahu describes Israel's borders with its Arab neighbors as 'previous' and affirms adherence to security zones