News brief

Israel remains in Syrian buffer zone. Israel will remain on the strategic Mount Hermon site on the Syrian border until another arrangement is found, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Dec. 18. Israeli troops occupied a Syrian-controlled peak of Mount Hermon when they moved into a demilitarized zone between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights following the collapse of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government this month. Officials have described the move as a limited and temporary measure. Israel’s move into the buffer zone has been criticized as a violation of international agreements by a number of countries and the United Nations.

Assad’s fall has rewards for Israel. It’s focused on the risks.