The Syrians are fortifying a road they built to the summit of Mt. Hermon in apparent violation of the disengagement agreement, Israeli sources reported today. The road was built after the agreement went into effect. Damascus claimed that it was intended to make the 9000-foot peak accessible to tourists. The summit of the mountain, for which Israeli and Syrian forces battled fiercely during the Yom Kippur War and for months afterwards despite the cease-fire, is presently controlled by United Nations forces.
The strong points that Syrian troops have built along the road are regarded by Israel as an improvement of Syria’s military position that is specifically banned by the disengagement accord. Other violations in recent weeks have been the emplacement of tanks inside the UN buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights and the introduction of heavy mortars into the limited forces zone. Israel regards the mortars as artillery which is prohibited under the disengagement terms.
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