Trump recognizes Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, pleasing Netanyahu and angering Syria, Arab nations, and Russia.
The United States will now recognize the Golan Heights as part of Israel — a massive change in American foreign policy that will likely benefit Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The surprise announcement by President Donald Trump about the disputed territory is in keeping with his full-throated support for Netanyahu and embrace of right-leaning Israeli positions. The questions now are if the decision will complicate the administration’s efforts to bring peace to the region and if the move will help Netanyahu’s reelection chances next month.
The answers to both, according to experts, are “yes.”
The Golan Heights, as Neri Zilber wrote for Vox, is a “strategic area of elevated land situated along Israel’s northern border with Syria. For decades it was part of Syria… [but] Israel conquered the region during the 1967 war and later annexed it in a move not recognized by the international community.”
That’s why Trump’s decision is so controversial:Most other countries see Israel as illegally occupying the plateau. But on Thursday, Trump tweeted, “After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights.”
After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!
The move was not totally unexpected. Last May, Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, showing that he had no qualms about breaking with decades-long American policy in the region. And an annual human rights report released by the State Department last week referred to the Golan Heights as “Israeli-controlled” — not “Israeli-occupied,” as was customary.
That’s all made Netanyahu happy. He took no time to praise Trump’s announcement, tweeting his thanks only 16 minutes after Trump’s missive and telling the president in a phone call later that day that “you’ve made history.
