Recognition of the Golan Heights
US Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina said he will urge Congress to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Israel captured the Golan Heights from the Syrians as they were defending themselves in 1967, and then annexed the land. However, the international community doesn’t recognize Israel’s control of the area. Senator Graham said to give this territory up would be a strategic nightmare for the state of Israel.
Last November in 2018, the UN General Assembly attempted to pass a resolution forcing Israel to return the Golan Heights to the Syrians. Well, fortunately former Ambassador Nikki Haley opposed the resolution. And this is why it’s good that Senator Graham is introducing the recognition of the Golan Heights to Congress. I think a lot of times we just think about the recognition of Jerusalem with Israel. But there are other areas where the international community is looking away, and doesn’t believe Israel has a right to certain land.
The Golan Heights is incredibly strategic for Israel. Number one, the Golan Heights is a part of biblical history, when Israel in the Old Testament was under Solomon’s rule, the Golan Heights was a part of Israel at that time. So we know there’s history precedent there. But on top of that, today in a modern sense, the Golan Heights serves as a strategic buffer that stands between war-torn Syria, and we all know what’s happening in Syria right now, and the modern state of Israel.
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