The United Nations recognizes the Golan Heights as part of Syria, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, condemning Israel's actions in the region during his visit to Damascus on Saturday. "I’d like to remind the international community that the Golan Heights are Syrian territory," he said. "Violations of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are unacceptable and must cease."
Guterres' comments came during a Saturday press conference alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al‑Shaibani after being welcomed to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's palace. The Damascus appearance is part of the first visit to Syria by a UN chief since 2009, before the civil war that dismantled the Assad regime.
The secretary-general went on to describe "a future defined by peace, dignity, and opportunity by the Syrians themselves," in reference to the Golan Heights. He recognized the UN's absence from the region, calling it a "conscious decision not to come to Syria since the beginning of the brutal repression of the Syrian people in 2011 until the fall of the regime.”
Guterres then urged the international community to take a more active role in mitigating Israel's involvement in Syria while pledging continued UN advocacy on the issue. In his opinion, now's the time for "partnership and solidarity." He covered a plethora of other topics in his address, including underscoring the need for post-war reconstruction and promising the UN's support in that process. (Ed note: And I'd like to remind the UN Chief that the Golan Heights belongs to the Jew, not to Syria. Syria would love to have the Golan back, so they could fire rockets down into Israel from it. Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.) (Read More)
