Colombia recognizes Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, Syria condemns move
Colombia has become the second country in the world after the United States to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, drawing sharp condemnation from Syria's foreign ministry.
Colombia has officially recognized Israel's claim to the Golan Heights, becoming only the second nation in the world after the United States to do so. Washington first recognized Israeli sovereignty over the territory back in 2019.
The Golan Heights have remained a disputed territory for decades. Israel seized most of the area, which previously belonged to Syria, during the 1967 Six-Day War against a coalition of Arab states, and formally annexed it in 1981.
Syria's response
Syria's Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing categorical rejection and condemnation of Colombia's decision, stressing that the Golan Heights remain an integral part of Syrian territory. The ministry described the move as a blatant violation of the UN Charter, noting it also contradicts a UN Security Council resolution and recent remarks by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
During a visit to Syria last month, Guterres said violations of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity were unacceptable, reminding the international community that the Golan Heights are Syrian territory.
Developments since Assad's fall
After longtime Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December 2024, Israel deployed troops into the UN-patrolled buffer zone that had separated Israeli and Syrian forces in the occupied Golan Heights since 1974. Israel has also carried out airstrikes and incursions into southern Syria as it seeks to establish an expanded demilitarized zone there.
