Recently, Israel has violated Syrian sovereignty through numerous airstrikes and a renewed military presence in the Golan Heights, which includes tanks and unauthorized settlements.
The Golan Heights, covering approximately 1,800 square kilometers (700 square miles), have been a contentious area for many years.
What are the Golan Heights?
Locating in southwestern Syria, about 60 kilometers (40 miles) south of Damascus, the Golan Heights are bordered by the Yarmouk River to the south and the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) to the west. The region features fertile land and essential water resources that nourish the Jordan River and the Hasbani River flowing from Lebanon.
Who owns the Golan Heights?
Internationally recognized as Syrian territory by the United Nations, the Golan Heights were occupied by Israel during the 1967 War. Currently, Israel governs 1,200 square kilometers (463 square miles) of the western section. Following this occupation, Israel commenced the establishment of illegal settlements in the area. A UN-monitored buffer zone exists, separating the Israeli-controlled land from the portion still under Syrian governance.
Are settlements illegal?
Yes, these settlements are deemed illegal under international law. Nevertheless, Israel has constructed over 30 settlements in the region, home to more than 25,000 Jewish Israelis, with plans for further expansion. Recently, the Israeli cabinet approved an $11 million initiative to improve services for existing illegal settlements and encourage more settlers to relocate there. These developments are occurring alongside Israel’s military operations across Syria, which it justifies as actions of “self-defense.”
Who lived in the Golan Heights before the settlers?
Before the establishment of settlements, the area was inhabited primarily by the Druze community, approximately 20,000 individuals strong. The Druze are an ethnoreligious group residing in Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon, often living in relative isolation. Following Israel’s invasion in 1967, many Druze were forcibly removed from their homes.
Has Syria ever attempted to regain control of the Golan Heights?
Yes, Syria has made attempts but has been unsuccessful. In the 1973 October War, Syria sought to reclaim the Golan Heights but failed to do so. Following this, in 1974, the UN intervened and deployed peacekeeping forces to the region after a ceasefire agreement was reached between Syria and Israel. The UN Security Council established the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) at that same time to monitor the ceasefire and maintain the buffer zone, with 1,274 UN personnel currently stationed in the Golan Heights.
What is the global stance on the Golan Heights?
To date, no country, except for the United States under Donald Trump in 2019, acknowledges Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights. A UNSC resolution from 1981 opposed this occupation, declaring Israel’s governance over the region as “null and void and without international legal effect.” The 2019 US recognition of Israel’s presence in the Golan still persists under President Biden’s administration.
