Syria: Urgent Security Council Meeting on Golan Heights Requested

On Tuesday, April 6, Syria requested the United Nations Security Council to hold an urgent meeting regarding the United States' decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The Syrian delegation at the UN sent a letter to the presidency of the council, currently held by France, calling for a meeting to discuss the situation of the "occupied Golan Heights, which is part of Syrian territory; and the recent gross violation of the relevant Security Council resolution by one of the permanent members of this council." According to reports from France Press, the French presidency has not yet set a time for such a meeting, but diplomats say it is expected to be discussed at the next council session. On Monday, President Donald Trump signed an order recognizing the annexation of the Golan Heights by Israel. Jonathan Cohen, the U.S. acting ambassador to the UN, stated in one of the council's meetings on the Middle East that Washington made this decision to stand against Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, and Iran. He said, "Allowing the Golan Heights to be controlled by regimes like Syria and Iran means ignoring the atrocities committed by the Assad regime and overlooking the fact that Iran's presence in the region is destabilizing and harmful." He further stated that a peace agreement would only be possible when Israel's security requirements in the Golan Heights are satisfactorily met. This action by the U.S. government comes as the UN continues to call for Israel to withdraw from these heights. Israel captured the Golan Heights during the Six-Day War in 1967 and annexed it in 1981, a move that has never been recognized by the international community. Syria also separately requested the Security Council on Friday to ask Israel to withdraw from these heights in accordance with UN resolutions. Reports indicate that the Security Council intends to address this issue during a meeting scheduled for Wednesday to extend the mandate of UN peacekeeping forces stationed in the Golan. Meanwhile, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon, a key ally of the Syrian government, has called for resistance against this U.S. decision, stating, "The only way for Syrians to reclaim their land and for Palestinians to achieve their legitimate rights is resistance, resistance, and resistance." According to Nasrallah, "Trump's decision regarding the Golan is the final blow to what has been called the peace process in the region, which was supposed to be based on land exchange for peace." He also urged the Arab League to address the Golan issue in a meeting scheduled for later this month in Tunisia. The Arab League suspended Syria's membership due to the bloody crackdown on protesters that led to a civil war. Five European countries with seats on the Security Council previously rejected Trump's decision regarding the Golan and expressed concern that this action could have widespread negative consequences in the Middle East. Two of America's closest allies, Britain and France, joined Belgium, Germany, and Poland in stating that Europe's position on the Golan Heights has not changed and that "this Syrian region, according to international law, remains occupied territory by Israel." Three UN Security Council resolutions have called for Israel to withdraw from these heights. China and Russia spoke against this U.S. decision during the recent Security Council meeting, and Indonesia and South Africa, which have always supported the Palestinians, rejected the U.S. decision. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani described Trump's recent action regarding the Golan Heights in Syria as "colonial." Saudi Arabia also condemned the U.S. action, deeming it a violation of international law. Kuwait and Bahrain expressed regret over the U.S. decision, and Lebanese President Michel Aoun reacted negatively to the news. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan referred to Trump's decision as a "gift" to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israeli elections and announced his intention to refer the Golan Heights issue to the UN.