Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a visit to the Golan Heights Oct. 8 to dedicate the Ein Keshatot National Heritage Site. It was a chance for him to repeat his supposed position on the Golan Heights. After all, Israel is on the verge of an election year. “Israel’s presence on the Golan Heights assures our security,” Netanyahu declared. “Israel’s presence there is a fact that the international community must recognize. As long as it is dependent on me, the Golan Heights will remain under Israeli sovereignty. Otherwise we will get Iran and Hezbollah on the banks of the Kinneret [Sea of Galilee].”
Not everyone was happy about these remarks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made it clear Oct. 10 that any change in status of the Golan Heights without prior approval from the UN Security Council would be considered a violation of existing agreements. Even the Trump administration was less than thrilled to show its support for Netanyahu’s statement. The State Department even rushed to announce that US policy regarding the Golan Heights had not changed.
