Defense Minister Israel Katz in response to the Syrian President's speech at the UN: "The Golan Heights under Israel's sovereignty is an inseparable part of the State of Israel forever. We will not allow Syria to become a threat to Israel - and we will do whatever it takes to prevent that."

Defense Minister Israel Katz in response to the Syrian President's speech at the UN: "The Golan Heights under Israel's sovereignty is an inseparable part of the State of Israel forever. We will not allow Syria to become a threat to Israel - and we will do whatever it takes to prevent that."

My clear answer to the President of Syria who made sweeping announcements on the stage of the UN: the Golan under Israel's sovereignty is an inseparable part of the State of Israel forever.

No withdrawal from Hermon and the security zone, which were previously captured in heroic battles in a defensive war in 1973, were handed over to Syria in the 1974 separation agreement under clear conditions that were violated, when Syria became an Iranian base and a threat to the State of Israel and its borders.

With the fall of Assad, the IDF entered Mount Hermon and the security zone in Syria to prevent jihadist threats by you and your supporters against the State of Israel - and will remain in Mount Hermon and the security zone as long as there is a jihadist threat to the Israeli border and settlements - both from your security forces and from other jihadist organizations and groups in Syria. If they attack our forces or the territory of the State of Israel from Syria, we will have to act and respond, and any territory we take this time will remain ours forever, in accordance with the laws of war.

We will not allow Syria to become a threat to the State of Israel and we will work to prevent that as much as necessary.