[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Israeli government announced plans to construct over 7,000 Jewish settlements in the Golan Heights, a territory disputed with Syria. It stated that it aims to double the Jewish settler population over the next five years, raising concerns that conflicts with Palestine and surrounding Arab countries may intensify again.
According to local media such as The Times of Israel on the 26th (local time), the Israeli cabinet approved a plan to spend $317 million (approximately 376.4 billion KRW) over the next five years to build more than 7,300 Jewish settlements in the Golan Heights and double the existing Jewish settler population.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said at the cabinet meeting, "Our goal is to double the Jewish population in the Golan Heights," adding, "The Syrian civil war has confirmed that it is right for Israel to govern this area." According to Israeli government statistics, about 25,000 Israeli Jewish nationals and approximately 23,000 Druze, an Arab minority group, live in the Golan Heights.
The Golan Heights is a disputed area located along the Israel-Syria border. Originally Syrian territory, it was occupied by Israel during the Third Middle East War. While Syria demands the return of the Golan Heights, Israel is increasing settlements to strengthen its effective control over this strategic military location.
The United Nations (UN) and the international community consider Israel's occupation illegal and designate the area as a neutral zone, rejecting the territorial claims of both Israel and Syria.
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