Syrian Interim President Criticizes Israel's Golan Heights Occupation at UN

Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa harshly criticized Israel's occupation of southern Syria and asserted that the Golan Heights is an inseparable part of his country during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly. Al-Sharaa, who took power nearly two years ago, stated that Israel has conducted more than 500 air and artillery strikes and 1,200 land incursions into Syria since his leadership began, detaining nearly 300 individuals.

The U.N. considers the Golan Heights, captured by Israel from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed in 1981, as occupied Syrian land. This international stance contrasts with the U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the territory, a policy reversal enacted by President Donald Trump in 2019.

"No attempts at imposing a fait accompli can undermine the legitimacy of our state, the sovereignty of our law, or the force of international law," al-Sharaa declared. "The Golan will remain a Syrian land."

Israel has maintained forces in a portion of southern Syria, characterizing the presence as a defensive measure to preempt potential attacks on its territory. Al-Sharaa expressed Syria's commitment to the 1974 agreement that established a demilitarized separation zone between Israeli and Syrian forces, overseen by a U.N. peacekeeping force.

He called for Israeli forces to withdraw to the lines demarcated on December 8, 2024, the day insurgents led by al-Sharaa toppled longtime leader Bashar Assad, after which Israel began deploying its forces. Earlier in the week, al-Sharaa had humorously questioned why Trump did not cede New Jersey to Israel instead of the Golan Heights while speaking at an Atlantic Council event.