Israel will remain in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza 'without time limit' Israeli  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz have said that troops will maintain an indefinite presence in southern  Lebanon ,  Syria  and the Gaza Strip. They were both speaking at a graduation for combat officers in southern Israel on Thursday. “We dominate southern Lebanon, from the summit of the Beaufort, and we will remain as long as required in the security zone,” Netanyahu said.