US President Donald Trump announced yesterday that he will formally recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
In a tweet, the US President said: “After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognise Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!”
The US previously considered the legal status of the Golan Heights as being occupied territory, which would be settled as part of negotiations for a peace agreement between Israel and Syria.
Located between Syria and Jordan, the Golan Heights in the north east of Israel was part of south western Syria until June 1967, when Israel took control of the area during the Six Day War after facing existential threats from neighbouring Arab countries.
In October 1973, Egypt and Syria mounted a surprise attack against Israel in the Sinai and the Golan Heights on Yom Kippur, the most holy day of the Jewish year. After early military gains, the Arab armies were driven back by Israel before a UN ceasefire took effect.
In 1981, Israel annexed the Golan Heights, and the area has been under Israeli law, jurisdiction, and administration ever since.
Before the outbreak of Syria’s civil war, many Israelis were prepared to relinquish parts of the Golan as part of the ‘land for peace’ principle.
Syria, which claims sovereignty over the territory, condemned the decision in a statement by the foreign ministry on Syrian media: “The Syrian people remain committed to the liberation of the Golan Heights by all means at its disposal”.
The US President’s announcement was welcomed by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White party co-leader Yair Lapid.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said: “I called [Trump]. I thanked him on behalf of the people of Israel … he recognised Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and he did so at a time when Iran is trying to use Syria as a platform to attack and destroy Israel. And the message that President Trump has given the world is that America stands by Israel”.
