The Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET) praised US Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) for introducing a resolution encouraging the United States to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
The DC based think tank and policy center argues that American recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights would block the land bridge that Iran is determined to establish in Syria. The Golan affords Israel a unique topographical vantage point, providing critical defensive and intelligence strategy to Israel and the United States. And it affords the population of Israel a unique defensive shield, to protect itself from attacks by Iran and its proxies.
Back in 1975, President Gerald Ford offered Israel assurances that a peace agreement with Syria “must be predicated on Israel remaining on the Golan Heights.” The Israeli government in 1981 imposed its sovereignty on the Golan Heights. In 1991, Secretary of State James Baker reaffirmed that the US stands behind Ford’s assurances. More recently, the United States, for the first time ever, voted against the annual United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Israel’s “occupation” of the Golan Heights.
EMET has been educating US lawmakers on what it maintains is a “critical” need for the US to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. According to the think tank, Rep. Doug Lamborn’s (R-CO) plans to send a letter calling for this recognition to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“I applaud US Senators Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton for taking the bold and very necessary step to introduce a resolution encouraging the United States to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, at this critical time,” said Sarah Stern, founder and president of EMET.
“As long as the Golan Heights are perceived as being ‘in play’ as part of the ‘occupied territories,’ the illusion that it might someday be captured by Syrian or Iranian forces is perpetuated,” Stern added. “The simplest way to put an end to this dangerous illusion and to Iran’s voracious appetite is for the United States to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. That would send a strong, clear, unequivocal message to America’s foes in the region without putting a single boot on the ground.”