New york: The Golan Heights are Syrian, and Israel is violating the international consensus on the matter. This was the assertion made by US Special Presidential Envoy to Syria and Iraq, Thomas Barak, who emphasized that the occupied Syrian Golan Heights belong to Syria according to UN resolutions and international law.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Barak expressed these views during an interview with the “Clash Report” platform, which was published Saturday via “X.” In his statement, Barak highlighted that Israel’s continued occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights stands in violation of UN resolutions and international law, both of which stipulate that the Golan Heights are Syrian territory.

The United Nations has consistently underscored this position through various resolutions, particularly Security Council Resolution 497, adopted on December 17, 1981. This resolution explicitly states that Israel’s decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction, and administration on the Golan Heights is “null and void and has no international legal effect.”

Further emphasizing this stance, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, during a Security Council session on April 29, 2025, reiterated that the Syrian Golan Heights remain under occupation. He called for the enforcement of Security Council Resolution 497 and demanded Israel’s withdrawal to the June 4, 1967 line.