Golan Heights will 'remain occupied Syrian territory' despite Colombian recognition, say Arab countries

Several Arab nations have criticized Colombia's acknowledgment of Israeli authority over Syria's Golan Heights, asserting it does not alter the territory's status as occupied Arab land. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen on Tuesday labeled the recognition as a breach of international law and UN resolutions, which state that Israel's imposition of its laws, jurisdiction, and administration over the annexed Golan Heights is "null and void" and holds no legal significance.

Israel seized control of the majority of the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967 and subsequently annexed the area in 1981. Following the collapse of the Assad regime in 2024, Israel further expanded its occupation in the region, and its forces engage in frequent incursions into Syrian territory.

Most countries still acknowledge Syrian sovereignty over the area in alignment with UN Security Council Resolution 497. Colombia is the second nation to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the occupied territory, following the United States under President Donald Trump in 2019. In a statement, Syria's foreign ministry declared the Golan Heights as "an inseparable part of Syrian territory" and vowed to "continue using all legitimate diplomatic and legal measures to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and established rights, and to strive for the recovery of its occupied territories."

Damascus also expressed gratitude for mounting international backing for its "legitimate rights in the occupied Syrian Golan."

Regional condemnation included Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry affirming that the Golan Heights remained occupied Syrian Arab territory, stating that any measures or decisions aiming to change their legal status neither create rights nor validate such actions. Qatar's foreign ministry stressed the necessity for Israel to "comply with international law and withdraw from all occupied Arab territories, including the Golan Heights," warning that unilateral decisions recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the territory would "pose a significant barrier to achieving peace in the region."

Turkey stated that Colombia's announcement sought to "legitimize Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights," reiterating its call on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities in ending Israel's occupation in southern Syria, including the Golan Heights, and its attacks targeting Syria's sovereignty and stability.

Egypt firmly rejected Colombia's decision, calling it an "undermining of the legitimate and established rights of the Syrian Arab Republic over its entire territory." The ministry also emphasized the need for Israel to withdraw from the occupied Golan Heights and urged countries to refrain from actions that would entrench the occupation.

Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit affirmed that the Golan Heights would "remain occupied Syrian territory in accordance with international law and international legitimacy resolutions." He stressed that sovereignty over territory "cannot be acquired through occupation and cannot be established by a political stance from one country or another."

Aboul Gheit also appealed to the Colombian government to revoke its announcement, stating the Arab League rejects "any measures or positions that would grant legitimacy to the Israeli occupation or exacerbate its consequences."