A report by an American conservative news website, late last month created uproar amongst the right wing in Israel. The website reported that President Biden was going to push back on President Trump’s 2019 Presidential proclamation regarding Golan Heights. The Trump administration had recognised the Golan Heights as a part of Israel and promoted its declassification as an ‘occupied’ territory.
Within 24 hours of the news report that Biden would change the US position, the Near Eastern Affairs section of the US State Department tweeted on the matter by way of clarification stating that it wasn’t changing its Golan Heights policy and any contrary reports on the matter were false. This was followed by a comment from Yair Lapid, Israel’s new Foreign Minister, who remarked that the rumours were circulated to hurt the new Israel Government.
Despite the matter being resolved for now, the incident is a harsh reminder about the sensitivity of the issue. Not just for Biden, this also applies to future administrations, the recognition of Golan Heights is expected to remain a touchy subject – and one on which any attempt to overturn Trump’s decision will not be welcomed.
