Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has definitively stated that Israel will not relinquish the Golan Heights, following Colombia's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the contested region. This move makes Colombia the second nation, after the United States, to take such a step.
In a video shared on social media on Tuesday evening, Netanyahu proclaimed, “The Israeli flag flies in the Golan and will continue to do so because this is our land,” emphasizing the strategic significance of the Golan Heights for Israel's security.
Netanyahu expressed gratitude to Colombian President Abelardo Gabriel de la Espriella for the decision, noting the importance of the Golan to Israeli security.
The Israeli Prime Minister referenced what he described as historical Jewish roots in the area, claiming that Jewish presence in the Golan dates back to the time of the Prophet Moses, and highlighted efforts to restore dozens of synagogues there.
He added, “Today, the Golan has returned under our sovereignty and will remain ours,” pointing to the significance of former U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the region. He noted Colombia's alignment with the United States on this stance.
On Monday, the Colombian government declared its recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, citing the ongoing instability in the Middle East and the strategic importance of the region for Israeli security as reasons for the decision.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar welcomed the decision, stating that Israel requires defensible borders due to its “lack of strategic depth,” and vowed to persuade other countries to adopt similar positions.
The decision marks a significant shift in Bogotá's policy toward Israel since De la Espriella took office, succeeding former President Gustavo Petro, who severed diplomatic ties with Israel and halted arms imports in response to the conflict in Gaza.
In contrast, the Colombian decision drew widespread condemnation from Arab nations, with Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and the Arab League denouncing it as contradictory to the United Nations Charter and international resolutions, which affirm the Golan as occupied Syrian territory.
Israel has occupied most of the Syrian Golan Heights since the 1967 war and declared its annexation in 1981. However, the United Nations Security Council rejected this move with Resolution 497, deeming the Israeli action null and void.
With Colombia's decision, the U.S. and Colombia now stand as the two countries recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, against a broad international consensus that continues to consider it occupied Syrian land.