Israel says will not allow escalation in Golan Heights

Following heightened tensions on the Syrian border in the past week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted Sunday he will not allow any escalation in the occupied Golan Heights.

Netanyahu said during his weekly cabinet meeting that security has been heightened ahead of a month-long series of Jewish holidays.

“At the same time our eyes are on the north. We will not allow an additional front to be opened against the State of Israel on the Golan Heights, not there and not anywhere else.”

Israel’s military has struck Syrian regime positions several times over the past week in response to missiles landing in the Golan Heights, which Israel took from Syria during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It also said Saturday that missiles were intercepted by its Iron Dome defence system.

Netanyahu also praised the $38 billion military aid deal signed with the US last week, the largest assistance package the US has provided any country, and criticized opponents who had claimed there could have been a better deal.

The agreement had previously been held up after Netanyahu claimed he could wait until President Barack Obama left office to sign an agreement with his successor.

“I would like to make it clear: We were never offered more. We were not offered more money, not even one dollar, and we were never offered special technologies,” Netanyahu said.