UNGA demands Israeli withdrawal from Syria’s Golan Heights

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Tuesday demanding that Israel cease its occupation of Syria’s Golan Heights.

The resolution, submitted by Egypt, passed with 123 votes in favour. Seven states, including the US and Israel, voted against, while 41 states abstained from the vote.

“By its terms, the Assembly declared that Israel’s 14 December 1981 decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan is null and void and called for its recission,” the UN said in a press release following the vote.

The assembly also called on Israel “to resume talks on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks and to respect the commitments and undertakings reached previously”, adding that “it also demanded that Israel withdraw from the occupied Syrian Golan to the line of 4 June 1967”.

Israel has illegally occupied the Golan Heights since the war of 1967, later annexing the territory in 1981 and allowing the establishment of illegal Jewish settlements in the area.

Syria’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the decision, saying in a statement carried by state news agency SANA that “the broad support for Syria’s national position, particularly regarding its sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan, is clear.”

“The resolution reaffirms that territory cannot be acquired by force and calls for Israel’s withdrawal from the entire Syrian Golan, in line with the June 4, 1967 borders,” it continued. “It also stresses the illegality of Israeli settlements and other activities in the occupied Golan”.

In response to the vote, Israel’s UN representative, Danny Danon, said: “The UN General Assembly once again proves how disconnected it is from reality.”

“Israel will not return to the 1967 lines and will not abandon the Golan. Not now, not ever,” he added.

The vote comes amid Israel’s seizure of more Syrian territory beyond the UN’s Purple Line marking the de facto border of the 1967 ceasefire, as well as heightened tensions between Damascus and Tel Aviv over repeated Israeli violations of Syrian sovereignty.

This tension increased on Friday after an Israeli incursion into the village of Beit Jinn killed 13 people.

Several Israeli soldiers were also wounded in the incursion, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu telling them that Israel expects Syria to establish a demilitarised zone between Damascus and Jabal al-Shiekh, currently occupied by Israel.

Following the incursion, US President Donald Trump warned Israel to “maintain a strong and true dialogue” and said that it was important “that nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria’s evolution into a prosperous state”.

In a private call with Netanyahu, Trump reportedly told him to “take it easy” and “not provoke” Syria, according to Axios.

On Tuesday, US Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, met with Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Shaibani in Damascus in talks aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two governments.