Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in the New Administrative Capital. Photo: Al-Ahram
Earlier Sunday, Israel's government approved a $10.81 million plan to expand settlements in the occupied Golan Heights, aiming to double the Israeli population in the Syrian territories.
In a statement, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered Israel's plans for settlement expansion in the occupied Syrian Golan, which contravene international law, as a determined attempt to impose a fait accompli.
"These plans once again reflect Israel's lack of willingness to achieve a just peace in the region," the ministry said.
Cairo emphasized that Israel's continued expansion in seizing Arab lands and altering the demographic makeup of the occupied territories clearly violates international law, according to the statement.
Furthermore, the ministry stressed that the Israeli actions violate international treaties, including the four Geneva Conventions, with Israel as the occupying power.
Egypt also called on the active international parties and the United Nations Security Council to assume their responsibilities in rejecting these violations of Syrian sovereignty and put an end to Israeli settlement activities.
Israel captured part of the Syrian Golan Heights during the 1967 war and later annexed it, despite widespread international criticism.
After the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad's regime on 8 December, Israel occupied the UN-monitored buffer zone, a demilitarized area set up in 1974 under a ceasefire agreement between the two countries.
Israeli forces have also escalated airstrikes on Syrian military targets across the country, drawing condemnation from regional countries and prompting calls from the international community for Israel to respect Syria's sovereignty.
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