Gideon Saar visited the Syria border today (Thursday). During the visit, he received intelligence and operational briefings from the commander of Division 210, Brigadier General Yair Flei, Commander of Brigade 474, Colonel Beni Kata, and other officers working in the sector.
During the visit, the minister arrived at the Kunetra crossing, where he met soldiers from the 202nd Paratroopers Battalion. The soldiers shared their insights with the minister regarding operational activities in the area and the challenges they faced over the past year. Saar was impressed by the operational activities aimed at maintaining the security of the settlements in the Golan, and preventing infiltrations or attempts by hostile elements to establish themselves near the border.
Rare Visit to the UNDOF Headquarters
A central part of the visit was a tour of the UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force) headquarters, located at Camp Zevine. During the visit, Saar met with the UNDOF and UNTSO commander, Major General Patrick Gushue, UNDOF Director Amadeo Michele, and UNDOF Chief of Staff Colonel William Northey. In discussions with UN representatives, both sides emphasized the fruitful cooperation between Israel and the observer force, which is a significant component in maintaining stability along the border since the disengagement agreement in 1974.
At the end of the visit, the Foreign Minister shared his conclusions and emphasized the importance of the IDF’s operational activities along the Syria border: “It’s good to see things on the ground. Today I saw activities of IDF soldier which are very important at the Syrian border. First and foremost, to prevent the emergence of a threat to the settlements in the Golan Heights, but also to prevent the establishment of hostile elements near our border. The situation is very dynamic, and we still do not know how it will stabilize, and when it will stabilize. Therefore, this activity is crucial.”
Saar also referred to the visit to the UNDOF headquarters, and noted: “I heard praise regarding cooperation with the State of Israel in general, and with the IDF in particular. I also learned about their operational approach since the disengagement agreement in 1974 until today.”
Saar at the Syrian Border
