What is the strategic importance of the Golan Heights, the territory that Trump wants to recognize as Israeli?

President Donald Trump once again rocked the Middle East hornets on Thursday with a tweet that "It is time" for the United States to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the territory known as Golan Heights. He had done so in the past when he had recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which had strengthened his ties with Benjamin Netanyahu, but had also opened a process of convulsion in the region that excluded again the possibility of a negotiated solution to the conflict with the United States. Palestinians

However, What is the true importance of these territories that belonged to Syria until 1967?

Indeed, this high and bordering plateau between Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan is a a privileged place of great regional strategic importance. The land, volcanic and bucolic for the green and mountainous area of ​​aridity and vast desert areas, extends over 1,800 square kilometers and is bounded on the south by the Yarmouk River .

At his feet is the Jordan Valley and the Sea of ​​Galilee, one of the most fertile regions of the region from where the water descends through the biblical Jordan and has north the Mount Hermon and to the east is Raqad Valley.

In the last fifty years, Israel has strengthened its presence on the strategic plateau and the population of Syrian Druses (Arabs) who remained after the seizure of the territory has added thousands of Israeli Jews, that the international community considers the settlers.

Currently, There remain four Arab villages in the occupied Golan: Majdel Shams, Ein Qiniyye, Masade and Buqata., populated by about 27,000 Syrians, mainly Druze.

In these places is added a Thirty Jewish colonies, which began to increase after the war, many of whom are farming and where around 20,000 Israelis live.

In addition to its strategic importance as an altitude point that allows wide visibility in the territory of four countries (seen from there with ease Damascus, 60 kilometers to the north), The Golan is also essential for its water resources.

The region has higher rainfalls that lower adjacent areas, has a volcanic terrain fertile and snow-capped mountains in winter feed rivers and groundwater which provide Israel with about a third of its water.

Israel controls two-thirds of the territory since the Six-Day War in 1967. In 1973, Syria tried to recover the territories after a frustrated war. The two countries have signed a armistice in 1974 and the Golan had remained relatively quiet since then. In 2000, they held their negotiations at a higher level on a possible return of the Golan Heights and a peace agreement, but this dialogue has collapsed, like all precedents.

The other third not controlled by Israel was under Syrian control until the civil war broke out in that country in 2011. Since then, it has disappeared. change hands between the different groups fighting against the regime of Bashar al-Assad and the government forces.

According to high Israeli sources, the main reason for which the country is interested in the territory – in addition to natural resources- It has to do with security. The civil war in Syria has demonstrated the need to maintain the plateau as a buffer zone between Israeli cities and the instability of the neighbor.

Israeli authorities also fear that Iran, ally of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, is trying to establish permanently on the Syrian side of the border to launch attacks against Israel.

Differences in the international community

The international community does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over this territory, which the country was finally annexed in 1981 unilaterally and without recognition of the world, which continues to consider occupied Syrian territory on the whole plateau.

Since 1974, UNDOF (United Nations Observer Force in Retirement) units have maintained the security on 266 square kilometers of border and no man's land between Syria and Israel, monitoring compliance with the 1967 armistice agreement known as the Purple line.

United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242 and 497 clearly indicate the international positioning on this space, a consensus that Trump exploded yesterday with his message on Twitter.

"After 52 years, it is time to fully recognize Israeli sovereignty over the The Golan Heights, of strategic importance and security essential for the state of Israel and regional stability"wrote the US president.

This position is contrary to that maintained until now by the various administrations in Washington and confirmed at the United Nations.

UN resolution 242 (of 1967) reminds Israel "the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by the war"whereas 497 (of 1981) considers "the Israeli decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, as void, invalid and without international legal effect".

Russian diplomatic sources condemned Trump's decision and badured that international agreements concerning the Golan must be changed at the UN Security Council and that the status of the region "can not be modified on the basis of tweets," Israeli radio reported Friday. Kan.

However, Reuters confirmed that there are already officials working on a document on the sovereignty of Israel that It will probably be signed next week by Trump during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit.

With information from Reuters and EFE