Israel, the United States and the Golan Heights
In a live teleconference recently, Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel won the Golan Heights in a just war. However, there is a good argument to keep this strategic area neutral — but through U.N. control or other neutral peacekeeping efforts. We no longer live in the pre-World War I era in which you get to acquire in perpetuity the annexed spoils of war that you have “won.”
The United States has no business reneging, in the manner President Donald Trump did, on prior international agreements. It should not be an American prerogative to proclaim another nation’s sovereignty over its neighbor’s land. Mr. Trump’s “proclamation” should actually have been a statement supporting Mr. Netanyahu’s re-election campaign (which seems to have been its real purpose), or some sort of letter of support for son-in-law Jared and his pro-Israeli lobby.
Finally, just for the record, any such ceremonial reference to decisions made “on behalf of the people of Israel” should not ignore that these people include the Palestinian population of Israel.
