Majdal Shams, Golan Heights — Recent Israeli construction activities along the demilitarized buffer zone separating Israel and Syria in the occupied Golan Heights have triggered serious warnings from the United Nations, which claims the development represents a “severe violation” of a 50-year-old ceasefire agreement.

The UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), tasked with monitoring this delicate area, has raised concerns over the potential for escalating tensions along this relatively calm, yet strategically sensitive, frontier.

Expanding Earthworks Documented

Satellite images and reports reveal extensive earthworks—new trenches and berms—being dug along the Area of Separation (AoS), a demilitarized strip set up as part of a 1974 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Syria following Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights.

Photographs captured show recent Israeli construction alongside military vehicles near Majdal Shams, a Druze town in the Golan, with similar work seen farther south.

While most of this construction remains within Israeli-controlled territory, reports from UNDOF suggest that a portion of the new trenches extends into the AoS, albeit by just a few meters, infringing upon the buffer zone’s boundaries.

UNDOF Chief of Mission Bernard Lee, in an interview at the force’s Camp Ziouani base, explained that two major lines of trenches had been created, along with several smaller ones, each approximately six meters wide.

Although the violations appear limited in scope, with some trenches crossing only a few meters into the AoS, the UN has raised formal complaints to the Israeli military.

Striking a Delicate Balance: Security vs. Ceasefire Compliance

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have justified the new defenses as a necessary deterrent against potential infiltration from Iran-backed militant groups operating within Syria.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an IDF spokesperson, emphasized that the new earthworks are “designed to protect against infiltration by Iran-backed groups in Syria” and asserted that the construction does not violate the terms of the ceasefire agreement.

He stated that Israel has been actively communicating with the UN on this matter, underscoring the measures taken to protect Israel’s borders.

The threat of militant incursions along Israel’s frontiers has taken on increased urgency since the deadly October 7 attacks by Hamas.

The IDF has stressed the importance of robust defenses along all potential flashpoints, and the new trenches, according to Bernard Lee, have been positioned to prevent vehicle crossings and potential militant infiltration from Syria.

“These defenses would stop what happened on October 7,” Lee explained. “Could you get a pick-up truck over it? No.”

However, while the trenches are designed to prevent large-scale incursions, they offer little defense against the more immediate threats posed by drones and missiles, which have increasingly been launched by Iran-backed militias in Syria and Iraq and intercepted by Israeli defenses.

Historical and Political Context of the Golan Heights

The Golan Heights, a strategically vital plateau overlooking northern Israel, was captured by Israel from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War.

Israel formally annexed the territory in 1981, a move that remains unrecognized internationally, save for a unilateral endorsement by the United States in 2019.

Today, the Golan Heights is home to a mix of Israeli settlers and approximately 20,000 Syrian Druze residents who remained in the region following Israel’s occupation.

The Druze community, historically loyal to Syria, has witnessed profound changes in their surroundings as Israel builds defenses along what has traditionally been a quiet border.

Despite the long-standing presence of Iranian militias and affiliated groups in Syria, often positioned close to Israel’s borders, the Golan Heights has been largely unaffected by the wider regional conflict.

This border zone, monitored by UNDOF’s around-the-clock observers, has remained relatively peaceful as Israeli forces contend with other fronts in Gaza and Lebanon.

Syrian Government’s Response

The Syrian government has expressed significant displeasure over the Israeli fortifications, lodging “strong protests” against what it considers Israeli encroachment on the buffer zone.

Syria’s allies, including Iran-backed militias, pose a significant concern not only for Israel but also for the Assad regime, which has consistently distanced itself from direct confrontations with Israel despite frequent Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah and Iranian positions within Syria.

The UN has voiced its concerns directly to Israeli authorities, appealing to uphold the ceasefire agreement, which designates that Israeli forces must remain on the western side of the Alpha Line, while Syrian forces are restricted to the eastern Bravo Line.

Local Sentiments: Security and Anxiety

For residents living near the buffer zone, particularly in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the newly constructed defenses offer a mixed sense of reassurance and anxiety.

Wafik Farhat, a Druze resident and owner of an eco-lodge that overlooks the buffer zone, expressed both his fears and relief.

“It gives us a sense of security,” Farhat said. “We can sleep in peace, knowing that someone is taking care of the border and preventing terrorists from crossing towards us.” However, he acknowledged the broader tensions, explaining, “Our eyes are looking more to the sky than to the plants. There’s fear here.”

Security Concerns over Smuggling and Arms

Adding to the complexity of the situation, the AoS has inadvertently facilitated smuggling activities. Commercial smugglers reportedly use the demilitarized strip to transport goods such as cigarettes and electronics from Syria to Lebanon, a practice enabled by a recently constructed UN patrol road.

Lee explained that smugglers transport goods over the mountains with pack horses, meeting pickup trucks waiting at the UN’s patrol road.

“They come over the mountain, enter the area of separation with a trail of pack horses, eight at a time, with two armed guys,” he said. “They unload the pack horses, and a pick-up truck meets them at our road: we’ve motorized the smuggling business.”

Asked whether the route might be exploited for smuggling weapons into Lebanon, Lee expressed understanding of the IDF’s concerns.

In recent years, Israel has repeatedly accused Syria of permitting Iran to use its territory as a “transit corridor” for weapons destined for Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Broader Regional Implications

While Israel points to the “daily” violations of the AoS by Syrian forces, the tensions along this frontier reflect deeper fault lines in the region.

In a letter to the UN secretary-general in May, Israel’s ambassador highlighted Syria’s repeated infractions within the AoS, such as the presence of armed forces, which he argued only “heightens tensions” in an already volatile area.

The wariness surrounding the buffer zone in the Golan Heights has been further amplified by the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iranian proxies.

Both Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah leaders have refrained from direct involvement in these skirmishes, despite a rise in Israeli airstrikes on their positions.

The Assad regime, exhausted from years of civil conflict, has taken a largely cautious stance, avoiding confrontation with Israel while maintaining alliances with Iran and Hezbollah.

UN’s Call for Diplomatic Restraint

As Israeli construction activities proceed, the UN continues to call for restraint, urging both Syria and Israel to observe the terms of the 1974 ceasefire agreement.

With new security measures intensifying along one of Israel’s previously quiet borders, the risk of an unintended escalation looms, even as Israel’s attention remains divided across multiple fronts.

The UN has underscored the fragile state of peace within the AoS, stressing the importance of diplomatic engagement to prevent further breaches that could destabilize this historically contentious region.

In the Golan Heights, a palpable tension persists as local residents, IDF soldiers, and UN observers alike watch over a border that has grown tense amid wider regional unrest.