UNITED NATIONS/JERUSALEM: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa insisted at the United Nations on Wednesday that the Golan Heights is Syrian land, dismissing Colombia’s recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the strategic plateau.
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six Day War of 1967 and annexed the territory in 1981.
The United States had been the only country to recognise this annexation until Colombia’s new hard-right, US-aligned government in August recognised Israel’s claim over the Golan.
The United Nations maintains that the plateau is Syrian territory under Israeli military occupation.
“Any attempts that violate our sovereignty, violate international law, will be stopped. Golan will remain Syrian territories,” al-Sharaa said at the UN General Assembly in New York.
In July UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres reiterated that the Golan Heights were part of Syria, describing Israeli occupation as “totally unacceptable.”
Israel’s ambassador Danny Danon said “this is what a speech translated from Turkish looks like. But no speech will change reality… the Golan Heights will always be part of Israel.”
Al-Sharaa also used his second turn at the UN rostrum to denounce repeated Israeli strikes on his country since the fall of the dictator Bashar al-Assad.
“Israel is launching attacks against Syria. There have been 500 air strikes, more than 1,200 incursions, and 300 detentions. This is at odds with the orientation we’re seeing at global level,” he said.
“It is reminiscent of an era that we thought was long gone.” But he held out hope that despite repeated “aggressions” by Israel, “the opportunity for peace and security is available to those who wish to live in peace — a just peace that maintains the rights of all.”
During a discussion at the Atlantic Council on Tuesday, al-Sharaa said Syria wanted a peaceful solution with Israel and that negotiations between the two countries had resolved nearly 90 percent of the outstanding issues needed for a security agreement.
‘Territory part of Israel’
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that the Golan Heights would remain under Israeli sovereignty “forever”, after Syria’s president insisted at the United Nations that it was Syrian land.
“My clear response to the Syrian president, who made bombastic declarations from the UN podium: The Golan under Israeli sovereignty is an inseparable part of the State of Israel forever,” Katz said in a video statement.
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