Trump Reaffirms US Recognition of Israeli Sovereignty over the Golan Heights

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - US President Donald Trump reaffirmed the United States’ recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights during a White House Hanukkah celebration, restating a landmark decision that positioned Washington as the only country to formally acknowledge Israel’s full control over the territory.

Speaking at the White House event on Tuesday, Trump expressed strong support for Jewish Americans and Israel, repeatedly emphasizing his administration’s alignment with what he described as the Jewish people’s resilience and historical perseverance.

“As president of the United States, I will always support Jewish Americans, and I will always be a friend and a champion to the Jewish people,” Trump told attendees. “We love you, and we love Israel,” he added.

During his address, Trump drew extensive parallels between the story of Hanukkah and the modern history of the Jewish people, framing both as narratives of endurance, strength, and survival.

He cited several policies and decisions as evidence of his commitment to Israel, including the termination of the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, the Abraham Accords, the provision of weapons and fighter jets to Israel, and continued US military support.

Trump also revisited his decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, recalling the process that led to the announcement.

“I heard so much about the Golan Heights from so many people, and I actually asked David Friedman, and I asked him, ‘David, tell me about the Golan Heights in five minutes or less,’” Trump said.

“After two minutes, I said, ‘I understand. You need it so badly for so many other reasons. You need it. You need it for defense.’”

Trump said that after gaining what he described as sufficient understanding of the issue, he moved forward with the recognition.

“I learned enough, and I signed the Golan Heights over to Israel. Nobody thought that was possible to get. They’ve been working on it for 70 years. And I said, ‘Good luck to you.’”

He later joked that once he learned of the region’s economic value, describing it as worth “trillions of dollars,” he realized that perhaps he should have “asked for something in return.”

The Golan Heights is a hilly region overlooking the upper Jordan River valley to the west. Geographically, it is bounded by the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee on the west, Mount Hermon to the north, the seasonal Wadi al-Ruqqād to the east, and the Yarmouk River to the south.

As a political unit, the boundaries differ. Israel exercises authority over nearly all of the Golan Heights, except for a narrow strip in the east that follows the Israeli-Syrian armistice line of June 10, 1967, later modified by the separation-of-forces agreement of May 31, 1974.

The territory extends approximately 44 miles from north to south and about 27 miles from east to west at its widest point, covering an area of around 444 square miles. Its southern areas contain fertile agricultural land, while the northern sections near Mount Hermon are stonier and traditionally used for livestock grazing. The Israeli-controlled portion rises to 7,297 feet at its highest point on the slopes of Mount Hermon.

Historically, the Golan Heights was part of extreme southwestern Syria until 1967. In 1894, French-Jewish banker Baron Edmond de Rothschild purchased land in the region for Jewish settlement, followed by other groups from the United States, Canada, and Europe. These efforts were hindered by resistance from the local Arab population and Ottoman land laws restricting settlement by non-natives.

After World War I, the Golan became part of the French Mandate of Syria and passed to independent Syria in 1941. Following the Arab-Israeli War of 1948–49, Syria fortified the western crest of the Golan Heights, from which Syrian artillery and sniper fire targeted Israeli civilian areas in the Hula Valley, the Sea of Galilee, and the upper Jordan River valley, significantly disrupting agriculture and fishing.

On June 9–10, 1967, during the Six-Day War, Israeli forces advanced against Syrian positions in the Golan after defeating Egypt and Jordan. Engineer units constructed access roads under air cover, enabling armored and infantry assaults. Syrian forces and much of the Arab population fled, and fighting ceased on June 10 after Syria requested an armistice.

The area was placed under Israeli military administration and later integrated into Israel’s communications and financial systems. Five villages, primarily inhabited by Druze Arabs, remained. Residents were offered Israeli citizenship, though most retained Syrian citizenship.

By the late 1970s, nearly 30 Jewish settlements had been established. In December 1981, Israel unilaterally annexed the Golan Heights.

Following the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israel and Syria signed a disengagement agreement that established a United Nations buffer zone monitored by the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), whose mandate has been renewed every six months.

Peace negotiations between Syria and Israel began in Madrid in 1991 but collapsed in 2000 over Syria’s demand for full Israeli withdrawal. Talks resumed briefly in 2008 through Turkish mediation before breaking down.

In March 2019, the United States became the only country to formally recognize Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights.

On December 7, 2024, as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces were nearing collapse during the Syrian civil war, Israeli Defense Forces entered the demilitarized UNDOF buffer zone. Israeli officials said the move was temporary to prevent instability from spilling into Israeli-controlled territory. The following week, Israel approved plans to expand settlement construction and double the number of Israelis living in the area, describing the initiative as “demographic development.”

By restating US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights during a high-profile White House Hanukkah celebration, President Donald Trump reaffirmed a defining foreign policy position of his administration, underscoring Washington’s stance on one of the Middle East’s most contested territories while linking it to broader themes of identity, security, and political resolve.