A source in the Israeli political system has confirmed that representatives for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) met with an Israeli Embassy representative in Washington last week to discuss a six-point plan to bring the United States closer to recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory.
Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz, who has worked for years to advance recognition of Israel’s control of the Golan Heights, said such recognition would be the best strategic response to Iran.
Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid, who will address a conference to promote international recognition of Israel’s hold on the Golan Heights in the Knesset on Wednesday, welcomed the move, but emphasized that Israel should ensure that “the Democratic Party is also on board” and that the U.S. recognition is bipartisan.
“At the same time, the coalition and opposition in Israel must join forces” for the move to succeed, he said.
Former Cabinet Secretary and current Coalition for the Israeli Golan head Zvi Hauser called on the Israeli government to take steps on the ground that would make the Golan Heights “a territory that is no longer subject to negotiation.”
According to Hauser, “There is no other horizon for the Golan Heights other than the Israeli [diplomatic] horizon.”
Golan Regional Council Head Eli Malka said he hopes “everyone will join this collaborative and historic process.”
Katzrin Regional Council Head Dimitry Apartsev said U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan should be even simpler to achieve than recognition of Jerusalem.
The six-point plan proposed by a group of American legislators and spearheaded by Cruz calls for implementing trade agreements between the U.S. and Israel on the Golan Heights and formulating a letter “recognizing the changes that have taken place on the ground,” similar to a document that then-President George W. Bush presented to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon prior to the 2005 disengagement from Gaza, acknowledging the existence of large Israeli settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria and saying it would be “unrealistic” to expect Israel to fully withdraw.
The six plans of action involve: channeling funds into joint Israeli-American projects on the Golan Heights; expanding U.S.-Israeli agreements, such as the free trade agreement, to apply to the Golan Heights and labeling products manufactured or grown on the Golan as “Made in Israel”; formulating a congressional document declaring that Syria will not return to the Israeli Golan Heights; sending congressional delegations to the Golan Heights; and formulating congressional documents that recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
The U.S. National Security Council issued a statement Sunday saying, “There has been no change to our position on the Golan Heights.”
According to information obtained by Israel Hayom, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised the issue of recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights during his first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, and the two leaders have discussed the matter numerous times since.
According to the diplomatic source, any form of American recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli would be a blow to the Iranian-backed Syrians, who dispute Israeli sovereignty over the territory.