Golan Heights with its pristine nature, bubbling springs and exquisite scenery is known as a destination for tourists and researchers of history and nature and has many attractions including national parks, hot springs and ancient monuments.
Golan Heights belongs to which country?
The issue of ownership of the Golan Heights is one of the most complex and sensitive issues in the Middle East region.
Officially, the Golan Heights are considered part of Syrian territory, but in 1967, Israel occupied this area during the Six Day War, and since then, most of the Golan Heights are under Israeli control.
But why is this issue so complicated?
Israel has unilaterally occupied the Golan Heights in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, and the international community considers this occupation illegal. In addition, there have been several attempts to return the Golan Heights to Syria and resolve this dispute through peace talks, which have not been successful. On the other hand, Golan Heights is very important for both Syria and Israel due to its strategic location and abundant water resources.
Currently, political developments in the region, especially in Syria, have greatly affected the situation in the Golan Heights, but still, Israel continues to develop settlements in the Golan Heights, which complicates the process of solving this issue.
Finally, the issue of ownership of the Golan Heights is a complex political issue, the solution of which requires long-term negotiations and strong political will.
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The reason for the importance of the Golan Heights
The Golan Heights are of great strategic importance due to the dominance of the fertile plains, access to water resources, and also for the following reasons:
- Natural resources: This area is rich in water resources, fertile soil and biodiversity, which has made it one of the important agricultural and tourism areas in the region.
- Ancient areas: Golan Heights has many ancient monuments, including Crusader castles, old villages and historical cities, which show the antiquity and importance of this region.
- Israeli aggression: Since 1967, a part of the Golan Heights has been occupied by Israel and this issue has always been one of the disputed issues in the region.
The population of the Golan Heights
In terms of demographics, the Golan Heights has a complex and variable composition that has been affected by the Israeli occupation and political developments in the region. Before 1967, the vast majority of the population of this area were Arabs, who were engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding, but in addition to Arabs, minorities such as the Druze also lived in this area. After the occupation of this area by Israel, a significant part of the Arab population was forced to leave their homes. Then Israel proceeded to establish Jewish settlements in the Golan Heights and moved a significant population of Israeli Jews to this area. These demographic changes drastically changed the ethnic and religious composition of this land.
Currently, the population of the Golan Heights is divided into two main parts:
- Arabs: They mainly live in villages and rural areas and are engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry.
- Israeli settlers: They live in settlements created by Israel.
However, the exact statistics of the Golan Heights population and its division are not fully published due to political and security reasons, but estimates show that the population of Israeli settlers has increased in recent years.
In general, the population of the Golan Heights is a complex and variable combination that is influenced by political, social and economic factors.
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The vastness of the Golan Heights
The Golan Heights is a region with a total area of about 1800 square kilometers, but due to the occupation of a part of this area by Israel, the exact division of its area is as follows:
- The occupied part by Israel: About 1200 square kilometers
- The part controlled by Syria: About 600 square kilometers
Note: These numbers are approximate and may vary slightly in different sources.
However, the exact border between the occupied part and the controlled part of Syria may change over time due to political and military developments in the region.
Who owns the Golan Heights?
The Golan Heights is legally and internationally considered a part of Syrian territory, but Israel unilaterally annexed parts of this area to its territory in 1981, which is not recognized by the international community.
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