"Livestock Front".. Why Did Israel Introduce 140 Cows into Syria?

SadaNews - In an unusual move, Israel has resorted to using a herd of cows as a means to bolster its security presence along the border with Syria, in an area located behind the separating fence in the Golan Heights, claiming that this step has altered the field reality.

According to a report published by Yedioth Ahronoth, the herd consists of about 140 cows grazing in an area of approximately 10,000 dunams near the Al-Ruqad River, within a region controlled by Israel located east of the border fence, which Tel Aviv describes as a permanent civil and agricultural presence serving security objectives.

The herd belongs to Yoel Silberman, the founder of the "Hashomer Hahadash" organization, who stated that the project was carried out about six months ago in secret, in coordination with the Golan Brigade in the Israeli army, as part of a transformation he characterized as part of Israel's defensive doctrine following the October 7 attack.

Silberman explained that the border fence, built about a decade ago, was erected west of the ceasefire line for topographic and operational reasons, leaving a wide pocket under Israeli control behind the fence.

He added that this area was, until the end of 2025, nearly void of civilian Israeli presence, while Syrian herders and their livestock frequently entered it, approaching military sites, which led to recurring security alerts.

According to officials in the Golan Division, the presence of Syrian herders was not seen as mere civil activity but also considered a potential means for reconnaissance, gathering information, and possibly smuggling weapons, which prompted the army to seek a way to impose a permanent presence in the area.

The report quoted a senior Israeli officer in the region saying that the project has achieved its security objectives, noting that since the introduction of the herd and the establishment of cattle enclosures, there have been no recorded instances of Syrian herders entering the area, and concerns about planting explosives along the fence have diminished, considering that the agricultural presence now constitutes "an essential security and national interest for Israel".

According to testimonies from farmers, residents have warned since March that the new fence erected by Israeli forces around large areas of the pastures has led to the confinement of livestock that normally enter the area during grazing.

They confirmed that sheep would sometimes cross into the fenced area, only for their owners to later be prevented from retrieving them, while some were disappearing under circumstances that residents describe as "systematic seizure".