In a brief tweet on its Twitter account, the U.S. State Department denied any changes in the current administration's stance, led by President Joe Biden, regarding the issue of the occupied Golan Heights. While this tweet raised questions about its timing and content, Washington reaffirmed its commitment to the position of former President Donald Trump, at least for now, recognizing Israel's sovereignty over that Syrian plateau which has been occupied for years. The department succinctly stated in its tweet last Friday evening: "U.S. policy on the Golan has not changed and all reports suggesting otherwise are false!"
Change in Policy or Not?! The reason for this tweet stems from a report published by "Washington Free Beacon" yesterday, which indicated a change in the U.S. stance on this issue. It quoted a State Department official, who, when asked about the current administration's position on the Golan, stated that the area does not belong to anyone and that control over it could change based on the region's ever-changing dynamics, a remark understood as a retreat from the previous position. The Trump administration had declared that the heights captured by Israel from Syria in 1967 would become part of Israel in 2019. Furthermore, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took a trip to the area in 2020 and reaffirmed that America had officially abandoned decades-long policy regarding the Golan as an occupied territory.
It is noteworthy that these heights, occupied by Israeli forces, are a strategic and water-rich location for Syria, and neither the United Nations nor most countries around the world recognize Israeli sovereignty over them, as UN resolutions affirm that they are Syrian territory under occupation.
