"The Golan is Arab Syrian".. A campaign in response to Netanyahu's claims

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The public dispute between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara, during the United Nations General Assembly meetings over the past two days, has brought the Golan Heights back to the forefront, as the Israeli side insisted on its claims regarding the area that its forces occupied and controlled since 1967.

A number of Syrians launched a campaign on the platform "X" today, Friday, titled "The Golan is Arab Syrian," calling on all citizens of Syria to participate in it to affirm the country's and people's right to their land recognized under international laws and agreements.

Meanwhile, others directed sharp criticisms at Netanyahu, who invited al-Shara yesterday, Thursday, to review the "Holy Book" in reference to the Bible and the Torah to confirm that "the Jewish people have been in the Golan since the time of the Prophet Moses," according to his statement.

The dispute began with the Syrian president affirming during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, his country's insistence on its sovereignty over the Golan Heights and rejection of any infringement upon it, before Netanyahu responded yesterday.

In a previous conversation with US President Donald Trump, Al-Shar' cited a dialogue that took place between them regarding the Golan, saying: "Why don't you give them New Jersey? Why do you give them the Golan? You don't own the Golan to give it to Israel."

However, behind this historical and political debate lies a geographical, military, and economic significance that makes the Golan more than just a disputed piece of land.

The Golan Heights is located in the southwestern part of Syria, close to the borders with Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan, and extends over a high area that grants control over the surrounding regions.

Its military importance is particularly highlighted by its elevation, as the high terrain allows for monitoring large areas of land to the west and east, making it a strategically sensitive area in Syrian and Israeli security calculations for decades.

The significance of the site has increased with the presence of Mount Hermon in the northern sector, which is one of the most prominent elevations in the region, providing additional value in surveillance and monitoring operations over the surrounding area.

The importance of the Golan Heights is not limited to its military location, as the plateau is also linked to the water system in the region, containing sources and waterways that flow into the Jordan River basin, making control over water resources one of the factors that increased the significance of the Golan in the Syrian-Israeli conflict.

A study published in the United Nations Library indicated that Israeli control over the Golan after the 1967 war included important water sources, including the Banias springs, which were part of the water dispute between Syria and Israel before the war.

The plateau is also characterized by its fertile soil and favorable climate for agriculture, making it economically valuable in addition to its security importance.

Israel controlled most of the Golan Heights during the June 1967 war, and then announced in 1981 the imposition of its laws and administration over the area.

However, the United Nations did not recognize this action, as the General Assembly's resolution on the Golan confirmed that the plateau has been under occupation since 1967, and that Israeli measures aimed at changing its character and legal status do not have legal effect according to the international position.

After the October 1973 War, Syria and Israel reached a disengagement agreement in May 1974, and the Security Council established the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) to oversee the buffer zone between Syrian and Israeli forces. Since then, the buffer zone has become an essential part of the security arrangements along the Golan Heights.

However, the plateau gained additional importance after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024, when Israeli forces entered the buffer zone and established positions around Mount Hermon.

Israel stated that its presence there is related to security considerations, while the United Nations considered the entry of Israeli forces into the buffer zone a violation of the existing arrangements and called for respect for the disengagement agreement of 1974.

Since then, the Golan Heights has been linked not only to the historical conflict between Syria and Israel but also to the new security balance in southern Syria following Assad's fall.

In December 2024, Netanyahu announced that Israel would remain in Mount Hermon until an "alternative arrangement" is reached, while the then Israeli Defense Minister ordered the forces to prepare to stay in the area during the winter.

Therefore, the recent debate between Netanyahu and Al-Shar' does not only pertain to the historical narrative of each party, but rather reflects a broader disagreement about the future of a region that combines high elevation, water resources, agriculture, borders, and military considerations.