To view the year 2025 merely as a year of war and conflict would be an incomplete understanding of reality. It was the year in which “Israel” transformed war from a temporary military action into a strategy of permanent territorial expansion. From Palestine to Lebanon and Syria, under the language of “security” and “self-defense,” conditions were created on the ground that made occupation not temporary, but increasingly permanent.
According to local reports, whatever unfolded in 2025 was not a sudden military decision. It was a carefully thought-out policy of displacement, destruction of land, making the return of civilians impossible, and redrawing maps through so-called “buffer zones” and “military corridors.” The terminology changed, but the outcome remained the same: the erasure of people from the land and the entrenchment of permanent military control.
Expansion Hidden Behind Language
The report states that “Israel” consistently used terms such as “buffer zones,” “humanitarian corridors,” and “security areas.” On international platforms, these terms appeared humanitarian or defensive, but on the ground their meaning was clear: removing civilians, bringing areas under military control, and preparing land for future settlements.
Once an area was evacuated on the grounds of “security reasons,” military infrastructure, surveillance systems, and bases were established there. Measures that were described as temporary gradually became the foundation of permanent occupation.
Palestine: Gaza — Destruction as a Means of Control
In 2025, Gaza became the most brutal example of this “Israeli” policy. Under the pretext of “buffer zones” and “military corridors,” large parts of Gaza were rendered unfit for civilian life. In addition, Israeli leader Amichai Eliyahu openly called for the complete occupation of Gaza and the restoration of Jewish settlements. Military reports revealed plans for permanent military surveillance over the highlands of Beit Hanoun, ensuring that Gaza’s residents would be unable to return.
According to United Nations reports, civilian infrastructure has been systematically destroyed since October 2023. By July 2025, UN OCHA reported that 87.8% of Gaza’s territory was either under Israeli military presence or subject to displacement orders.
“Israel” acknowledged the presence of four military corridors—Philadelphi, Morag, Netzarim, and Magen-Oz—while a fifth corridor was confirmed in Jabalia. Together with the border buffer zone, these corridors deprived civilians of access to nearly 75% of Gaza’s territory. In the Netzarim Corridor, more than 95% of buildings were destroyed. In August 2025, soldiers of the Nahal Brigade themselves admitted that this destruction was deliberate, aimed at preventing the return of the original inhabitants. Alongside this, a policy of “voluntary migration” was promoted, which received the support of then U.S. President Donald Trump in February 2025. By the end of the year, the strategy of making Gaza uninhabitable had become unmistakably clear.
West Bank: Silent but Rapid Expansion
There was no formal war in the West Bank during 2025, yet settlement expansion advanced at an unprecedented pace. In May 2025, a land registration process was initiated in Area C, which was widely viewed as preparation for “annexation.”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated openly that the purpose of this process was to make Israeli control over the area permanent. In December, the security cabinet approved 19 new settlements, including the return of the Ganim and Kadim settlements that had been dismantled two decades earlier. Additionally, according to the United Nations Secretary-General, plans for 47,390 settlement units moved forward in 2025—nearly double the number recorded in 2024.
Lebanon: Occupation Despite the Ceasefire
Even after the 2024 ceasefire, “Israel’s” military activities in southern Lebanon did not come to a halt. Under the pretext of security, military outposts, surveillance infrastructure, and walls were erected.
By 2025, “Israel” maintained a presence at five locations, including Hammames Hill, Labbouneh Hill, Mount Blat Hill, Azziyeh, and Al-Awaida Hill. A UNIFIL investigation revealed that the construction of a wall rendered more than 4,000 square meters of Lebanese land unusable for civilians.
UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that these steps were part of long-standing plans carried out under the cover of war.
Syria: Exploiting Instability
After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government, “Israel” intensified its military presence in southern Syria. So-called “buffer zones” were established beyond the Golan Heights, and a permanent deployment on Mount Hermon was announced. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the army would remain on the summit of Mount Hermon indefinitely. In February 2025, the area was opened to Israeli civilians.
According to analysts, this marked a major step toward rendering the 1974 agreement ineffective.
Conclusion
In 2025, “Israel’s” policy was not reactive but one of calculated expansion. Concealed behind the language of “security,” conditions were created on the ground that steadily altered borders without any formal declaration.
The year 2025 serves as a warning that what is unfolding in the region is not a temporary war, but a process of permanent map-changing.