US Envoy Reverses Remarks: Golan Heights 'Not Occupied,' Says Trump Policy Stands
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The US special envoy for Syria and ambassador to Turkey on Sunday retracted his own comments from two days earlier, in which he said Israel “still” occupies the Golan Heights in violation of UN resolutions. The envoy’s initial statement directly contradicted President Donald Trump’s official position on the disputed territory.
Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Middle East war and formally annexed the area in 1981. The United Nations and most of the international community continue to view the plateau as occupied Syrian land and do not recognize Israeli sovereignty over it.
The envoy’s reversal brings him back in line with the Trump administration’s stance, which recognizes Israeli control over the strategic region. No further clarification was offered regarding the cause of the initial misstatement.