Under Israeli occupation since 1967, the Occupied Syrian Golan is an area whose inhabitants are victims of landmines and other explosive devices used during Israeli occupation. These landmines have caused death and injury to dozens of people, mainly children. Israeli authorities, which did not sign the Ottawa Convention banning the use of landmines, have at times openly declared that they consider landmines to be a necessary means of defence and only a handful of minefields have been cleared.