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Forum:
General Assembly 4 (Special Political and Decolonization Committee)
Issue:
Occupation and settler activity in occupied Syrian Golan Heights
Student Officer: Abeedah Diab
Position:
President
Introduction
The aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day War bore witness to the rise of Israel throughout the 20th and
into the 21st century as a powerful military force, capable of not only defeating an Arab coalition
comprised of Jordan, Syria, and Egypt on three separate fronts, but also unilaterally occupying vast
territories - one of which is the Syrian Golan Heights - without being held accountable 50 years on.
Deemed “null and void” by the United Nations in Resolution 497, Israel’s annexation of the Golan
Heights has brought about numerous concerns since 1981. Israel has continued to expand settlements
in the Golan despite clear violations of international human rights law, as it continues to deploy military
personnel to expel Syrians out of their homes to build strictly Jewish settlements, as reported by the UN
Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices affecting Human Rights of the Palestinian People and
other Arabs of the Occupied Territories. Aside from undermining the sovereignty of a fellow Member
State, Israel has also been responsible for discriminating against Syrian civilians living in the Golan with
regards to restricted access to education, little job opportunities, and social and health benefits only
experienced by Israeli inhabitants, under Israeli civil law. Such discriminatory legislation strips individuals
from experiencing a life free of fear and uncertainty. This is also experienced by Syrians fleeing the
ongoing Syrian conflict and seeking refuge in the Golan Heights, only to be forcefully returned back to a
warzone - a clear violation of the 1951 Refugee Convention, and one backed by Israel’s Prime Minister
to the country being overwhelmed by non-Jews.
Israel continues to demand the international community’s recognition of the Golan Heights as
part of Israeli territory. However, Member States, including the United States of America, have stood by
to defend the UN Charter, international law, and various resolutions that acknowledge the
unconstitutionality of the occupation. Various Member States, including Malaysia, have called for
sanctions to be placed on Israel to pressure them into returning the Golan Heights to its rightful and
lawful owner: Syria.
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Definition of Key Terms
Occupation
The situation where a foreign power takes control of land that falls under the sovereignty of another
nation by force, using its troops and military to consolidate such presence. Movement in and out of
occupied territories is generally very restricted, with curfews and arbitrary closures being
commonplace.
International Law
A set of legislation that is agreed upon by the international community through the adoption of
treaties, statutes, and/or resolutions. International law can span over various topics, including
environment, human rights, criminal justice, and humanitarian intervention. Violating international
law can result in serious consequences, including facing trade embargoes and sanctions from other
countries.
Settlement
A group of homes built an area with the intention of establishing a long-lasting community. In the
context of this issue, Israel has built hundreds of settlements throughout the West Bank, the Gaza
Strip, and the Golan Heights, many of which are deemed illegal by the United Nations.
Annexation
The acquisition of another country’s land, usually by force, and usually without permission from the
lawful owner or the international community. Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights in 1981 has
been condemned by the UN Security Council and has not been recognized internationally as Israeli
territory.
Ceasefire
The suspension of any form of active fighting in an armed conflict. It is imposed out of a need to find
a diplomatic solution to a crisis, where in order to come to an agreement, any engagements in battle
must be put to a stop. It is important to realise, however, that a ceasefire is not a peace treaty,
rather, it is taking that one step closer to reaching a peace agreement.
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Background Information
Today, the Golan Heights is home to 20,000 Syrians - almost a fifth of those that had been living
there prior to 1967 - and 30 Israeli settlements (housing almost 20,000 settlers) which are deemed illegal
by the UN for their violation of international law. The vast majority of Syrian inhabitants in the Golan are
followers of the Druze faith, a belief shared by those living mainly in Lebanon and Syria.
The strategic importance of the Golan Heights is a primary reason as to why Israel is adamant in
keeping the area. It borders Northern Israel, South-Western Syria, Northern Jordan, and South-Eastern
Lebanon. Furthermore, the geological makeup of the Heights make Southern Syria and the Syrian
capital, Damascus, clearly visible from the top of the Heights, giving Israel the ability to easily monitor
Syrian movements. According to Israel, this acts as natural buffer in the event of a Syrian attack, despite
the fact that a UN observer force was deployed at the Eastern edge of the region in the aftermath of the
Yom Kippur War, following Israeli-Syrian ceasefire in 1974.
In addition, the Golan Heights partially surrounds the Sea of Galilee, which accounts for ⅓ of
Israel’s drinking water supply. In its defence to keep the Golan Heights, Israel argues that it may lose
access to the Sea of Galilee should the Heights be returned back to Syria. It is important to note that the
Sea of Galilee is a key source of water, particularly in a relatively arid region. Furthermore, the fertility of
the land in the Golan Heights makes it a more desirable territory, yet vulnerable to exploitation by Israel
in any attempts to consolidate control over the Heights.
History
The Six Day War of 1967 - in which Egypt, Jordan, Syria,
and Israel were involved in - was a result of increasing
Arab-Israeli tensions in the region, and ended in Israeli
victory. Armistice lines were thus set up between Israel
and its bordering states to stop the bloodshed, and a few
days later, Israel had disregarded the 1947 borders set by
the UN and seized the West Bank (from Jordan), the Sinai
Peninsula (from Egypt), and the Golan Heights (from
Syria). In 1973, Syria attempted to retake the Golan
Heights in the Yom Kippur War, but failed, and both
countries signed an armistice in 1974, along with the
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subsequent provision of the area by a UN observer force put in place. In 1981, Israel unilaterally
annexed the Golan Heights and imposed Israeli civil law in the area, an act immediately condemned and
considered “null and void” by the UN Security Council in Resolution 497 which was adopted a few days
later.
Settlements
Currently, there are just above 30 Israeli settlements scattered across the Golan Heights, with a
big concentration located south of the area, near the Sea of Galilee. In order for such settlements to be
built, military personnel are deployed to expel and forcibly remove Syrians in order to begin the
construction of a settlement, which are reserved for Jewish Israeli citizens, and separating Arab families
in the process. Israel has used its civil law, which it imposed on the Golan Heights in its annexation in
1981, to its advantage, by imposing exorbitant taxes on Syrian natives of the area. A Special Rapporteur
of the UN Human Rights Commission concluded in his findings that such Israeli practices, including the
destruction of homes to build settlements, were grave violations of international law and the Fourth
Geneva Convention of 1949, a document that outlines the rights of civilians in times of war.
In October 2015, the leader of the right-wing party ‘Jewish Home’, Naftali Bennett, announced
plans to be made to increase the number of settlements to house 100,000 more people in 5 years. The
Syrian government regards such settlements as obstacles to peace, which is a similar case to the
current occupation of the Palestinian territories, and is further echoed by the United Nations, the United
States, and the international community as a whole. The UN Special Committee reports that since 1994,
Israeli settler population has risen by 13%, and over 500,000 Syrians native to the Golan have been
forcibly evicted and refused the right to return since 1967.
Employment
Intentional economic constraints on the Syrian population of the Golan Heights by Israel is largely
reflected in the lack of equal employment opportunities and the inability of Syrians to have access to
adequate social and/or health benefits, as they are not legitimate citizens under the eyes of Israeli civil
law, as settlements continue to expand. Most Arabs living in the Golan Heights are only able to obtain
blue-collar sector jobs. In attempts to further consolidate control over the Golan Heights, Israel provides
Syrian inhabitants access to water at higher prices than Israeli inhabitants of the Heights, making it more
difficult for them to live affordably, prompting many to leave out of desperation.
Repercussions of the Syrian conflict
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With the upsurge of violence in the Syrian conflict, asylum seekers have sought to seek refuge in
the Golan Heights since 2012, as they flee widespread human rights abuses, systematic torture, and
violence from the Syrian government, primarily, and other actors in the conflict. Prime Minister
Netanyahu said earlier in September 2015, and emphasized in 2016, that although the state
sympathizes with the plight of refugees, Israel was being overwhelmed by non-Jews. According to the
CIA World Fact book, Jews make up 74.8% of Israel’s population as of 2015. Under the 1951 Refugee
Convention which Israel signed and ratified in 1954 and 1968 respectively, it is obliged to allow refugees
access to a safe haven.
Major Countries and Organizations Involved
Israel
Israel has been accused of violating international law in its ongoing occupation of the Syrian
Golan Heights, along with the Palestinian territories. Israel has also been accused of forcibly removing
Palestinian and Arab inhabitants in the noted areas in their expansion of settlements, and denying Arab
citizens the same rights as Israeli citizens with regards to access to the job market, education, and
property. Israel has denied such claims, stating that they are an inaccurate representation of the true
realities in the Golan. Israel has also decided not to accept any Syrians fleeing the conflict in their
homeland to seek refuge in the Golan Heights, citing the fact that many would be terrorists with the
intention of infiltrating the Golan area to return it back to Syria.
Israel has defended its decision to annex the Heights on the basis of protecting itself from
neighboring Arab countries in the event of an attack, particularly with the recent upsurge of violence on
Syrian soil. Aside from its strategic importance to Israel, the Golan Heights provides access to the Sea of
Galilee, which accounts for ⅓ of Israel’s national drinking water supply.
In April of 2016, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a cabinet meeting in Golan - the
first time in the 50 years of Israeli rule - to commemorate the new government’s first year in office and to
further consolidate the fact that the Golan Heights belongs to Israel, and that the international community
should begin to acknowledge that.
Syrian Arab Republic
Syria has been adamant in refusing to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan area, and in
ensuring that it is returned under its rightful ownership. Seeing as no results have been produced from
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multiple rounds of US-backed Israeli-Syrian peace talks, Syria has been reluctant to engage in further
negotiations over the future of the Golan Heights. Both the Syrian government and the Syrian National
Council, the opposition coalition, are in agreement on the rejection of Netanyahu’s statement in April
2016. However, the difference remains regarding the questionable efforts made by Syria to regain the
Golan Heights: in other words, whether or not Bashar Al Assad and Hafez Al Assad did enough to return
the Golan Heights back to Syria, particularly with the rehabilitation of some 500,000 Syrians rendered
displaced following the occupation of the Golan Heights in 1967, and its subsequent annexation by Israel
in 1981.
United States of America
As an active member in the international arena and a strong ally to Israel, the United States has
played an instrumental role in bringing Arab and Israeli representatives to the table - dating all the way
back to Camp David in 1978, where US-backed Israel-Egypt negotiations resulted in the return of the
Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, a territory initially taken over by Israel in the aftermath of the Six-Day War. In
1996 and 2000, the United States backed Syrian-Israeli negotiations, which were predicated on the
status of the Golan Heights. Although fruitful discussions emerged, no progress had been made
regarding the issue of peace between Israel and Syria.
The United States has condemned Israel for its occupation of Arab territories following the SixDay War, including the Golan Heights, along with its remarks regarding the illegitimacy and the
unconstitutional nature of Israeli settlements that have arisen over the years. Nevertheless, since the
establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, the United States has been a major backer of the Israeli
government, particularly in monetary means. In 2016, President Barack Obama announced that $38
billion worth of military aid would be given to Israel - the largest sum the United States has offered in
history. Many Member States see this to be completely hypocritical on the part of the United States,
particularly since Israel’s military has been responsible for the destruction of homes in the Golan Heights
and the expulsion of Syrians to make room for settlements.
Turkey
In 2008, Turkey played a key role in mediating indirect talks between Syria and Israel regarding
the future of the Golan Heights. In the months leading up to the Syria-Israel peace talks in Istanbul in
May of 2008, the then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan conducted phone conversations between
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel and Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, and carried diplomatic visits
to Damascus and Tel Aviv in an attempt to mediate the talks between the two countries. On May 14
2008, Syrian and Israeli officials were flown to Istanbul, where Prime Minister Erdogan shuttled between
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the two who were in undisclosed locations in the capital. Although progress was made, there was much
skepticism surrounding the sustainability and plausibility of the talks, with reference to Olmert’s growing
unpopularity in Israel and the potential of Israel losing the Golan Heights to Syria. However, such talks
broke off when Israel opened an offensive in Gaza in December later that year, which prompted the
Turkish Prime Minister to end the negotiations.
United Nations
Since 1967, the United Nations has condemned Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights and has
been adamant in not recognizing the occupied Golan Heights as a part of the state of Israel. Following
the adoption of Resolution 2443 in 1968, a Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices affecting
Human Rights of the Palestinian People and other Arabs of the Occupied Territories was created.
Comprised of 3 Member States - Sri Lanka, Senegal, and Malaysia - the Special Committee produces
reports on the conditions in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Golan Heights. These reports are used as a
focal point of discussion in the General Assembly, the Security Council, and other UN bodies. Until
today, the Special Committee has not been granted permission by the Israeli government to conduct
investigations in the noted regions. Israel has accused the committee of promoting hostility against the
its statehood by producing anti-Israeli propaganda. Israel has also accused it of failing to shed light on
terrorist attacks perpetrated by Palestinian groups on Israeli civilians.
Amnesty International
Since its inception in 1961, Amnesty International has been a powerful voice in shedding light
onto the human rights violations of the Israeli authorities in their occupation of the Golan Heights and the
greater Palestinian territories, along with their refusal to deny entry to the Golan Heights to those fleeing
systematic persecution and violence in Syria. Amnesty International has issued reports outlining specific
cases of human rights violations - including Israel’s refusal to allow Arabs access to affordable water created petitions, and directed letters towards officials, including former Israeli Defence Minister Ehud
Barak, demanding for the full provision of the rights of those fleeing conflict in Syria. Amnesty
International’s work and research is available to the public to access online, and have chapters around
the world that engage the public in campaigns to end injustice.
Timeline of Events
Date
Description of event
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Israel takes control of the Golan Heights during the Six-Day War. Syria accepts
June 10, 1967
the UN call for a ceasefire, and the war ends. At this point, Israel has also
taken control of the West Bank and the Sinai Peninsula.
UN Security Council passes Resolution 242, calling for the withdrawal of Israeli
November 22, 1967
armed forces from the occupied territories, being the Golan Heights, the West
Bank, and the Sinai Peninsula. Israel rejects the resolution.
October 6, 1973
First day of the Yom Kippur War, which lasts for just under 3 weeks. Syria
deploys tanks to retake the Golan Heights, but fails by October 12th.
Agreement on Disengagement armistice signed between Syria and Israel. UN
May 31, 1974
deploys observer force to administer peace. Israel withdraws partially following
the release of prisoners of war from both sides.
Egypt to regain the Sinai Peninsula in its entirety under the Camp David
September 17th, 1978
Accords, signed by Egypt and Israel and facilitated by the United States. It is
successful.
December 14, 1981
December 17, 1981
October 30, 1991
Israel unilaterally annexes the Golan Heights following the adoption of the
Golan Heights Law.
UN Security Council passes Resolution 497, declaring Israel’s annexation of
the Golan Heights “null and void” and “without international legal effect”.
Madrid Conference begins, hosted by Spain and co-sponsored by the United
States in an attempt to revive peace talks between Israel and Arab states.
November 11, 1991
Madrid Conference ends.
December 27, 1995
First round of Syria-Israel peace negotiations commences.
January 5, 1996
First round of Syria-Israel peace negotiations ends.
January 24, 1996
Second round of Syria-Israel peace negotiations commences.
January 31, 1996
December 8, 1999
Second round of Syria-Israel peace negotiations ends - no results produced
after 2 months of peace talks.
US announces Syria-Israel talks to resume in 2000.
Meetings between Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, and Syrian Foreign
January 3, 2000
Minister, Farouk Al-Sharaa, facilitated by U.S President Clinton, regarding the
future of the Golan Heights, begin in Washington.
January 11, 2000
Meetings are suspended.
March 26, 2000
Clinton-Assad Summit in Geneva takes place. No results produced.
May 14, 2008
Turkish-mediated Israeli-Syrian talks regarding the prospect of peace between
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Syria and Israel, which included the issue of the Golan Heights, begin in
Istanbul, following months of on the phone conversations and diplomatic visits
made by Turkey to Damascus and Tel Aviv.
December, 2008
Talks are suspended following Israel-Gaza conflict, in which Turkey criticized
Israel’s use of violence, severing relations between the two.
Relevant UN Treaties and Events
●
UN Security Council Resolution, November 1967 (242)
●
UN Security Council Resolution, December 1981 (497)
●
UN General Assembly Resolution on the Occupied Syrian Golan, December 2001 (A/RES/56/63)
Previous Attempts to solve the Issue
As emphasized throughout, previous attempts to solve the issue have continuously failed through
the past 50 years of Israeli occupation in the Syrian Golan Heights. US-brokered peace negotiations
between Israel and Syria amounted to no results in 1996 and in 2000, due to the unwillingness of both
parties to come to a compromise or a partition, yet mainly due to the failure of the occupying power to
recognize the place of the Golan Heights in Syrian history, the illegitimacy of its settlements, and most
importantly, the rights of its Syrian inhabitants. The issue of the occupied Palestinian territories and the
greater Arab-Israeli history also remains a point of contention between the two parties.
Possible Solutions
Peace is not merely the absence of war; it is the provision of justice, equality, and the absence of
fear of retribution. This must be placed at the forefront of the committee’s agenda to ensure that human
rights violations no longer take place, and that it is a habitable place for Syrians and Israelis alike.
In order to safeguard the inalienable rights of civilians, Israeli or Syrian, in the Golan Heights, the
UN Special Committee must be given access to the occupied Arab territories - being the West Bank, the
Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights - to conduct thorough and transparent investigations to be able to
accurately assess the situation and begin to recommend measures to be taken by Israel to ensure that
discrimination ceases to exist in the Golan Heights.
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For the former to take place, Israel must open up its occupied territories and pursue an
immediate cessation on the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied Golan Heights, as requested
in various Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 497. Some Member States, including
Malaysia, have called for sanctions to be issued on Israeli goods and services in the UN General
Assembly . It is important to ensure that the livelihood of both people’s is not at a compromise.
In a statement released following Netanyahu’s commitment to keep the Golan Heights in April
2016, the Security Council declared its support for a negotiated arrangement to take place between
Syria and Israel to settle the dispute. However, due to the volatility of the ongoing Syrian conflict, it would
be difficult to effectively create a long-lasting solution. It thus important to be inclusive of the Syrian
National Council as the representative of the Syrian opposition, alongside the current Syrian
government, in such talks in the future. Efforts must also be employed to allow Syrians escaping
violence access to safety in the Golan Heights without fear of retribution, particularly if Israel is pledging
to accommodate 100,000 more settlers into the Golan area.
Bibliography
News, BBC. "Golan Heights Profile." BBC News. British Broadcasting Services, 27 Nov. 2015. Web. 18
Oct. 2016.
AJE. "UN Rejects Israel's Claim over Syria's Golan Heights." - AJE News. Aljazeera, 27 Apr. 2016. Web.
18 Oct. 2016.
Scott-Baumann, Michael. Crisis in the Middle East: Israel and the Arab States 1945-2007. London:
Hodder Education, 2009. Print.
Bengio, Ofra. The Turkish-Israeli Relationship: Changing Ties of Middle Eastern Outsiders. New York:
Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. Print.
UN. "GA4 Takes up Report on Israeli Practices in Occupied Territories." UN News Center. UN, 8 Nov.
2004. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.
UN. "Israel's Construction, Expansion of Settlements Criticized, as GA4 Takes up Israeli Practices
Report." UN News Center. UN, 7 Nov. 2001. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.
UN. "Disturbing Humanitarian Deterioration in Occupied Palestinian Territories Focus, as GA4 Takes up
Report on Israeli Practices." UN News Center. UN, 11 Nov. 2002. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.
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UN. "GA2 Discusses Impact of Israeli Occupation on Palestinians and Arabs of Syrian Golan." UN News
Center. UN, 7 Nov. 2002. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.
UN. "GA2 Is Told of Harsh Conditions Persisting in Occupied Territories Because of Israeli Actions." UN
News Center. UN, 27 Oct. 2009. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.
Silver, Eric. "From the Archive, 15 December 1981: Israelis Vote to Annex Golan Heights." The
Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 14 Dec. 2012. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.
Agencies. "UN Criticizes Israel for Golan Heights Annexation." Ynetnews. Yedioth Internet, 27 Nov.
2006. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.
BBC. "Israel 'ready to Return Golan'" BBC News. BBC, 23 Apr. 2008. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.
Guarnieri, Mya. "The Israeli Occupation the World Forgot: The Golan Heights."+972 Magazine The
Israeli Occupation the World Forgot the Golan Heights Comments. RSVP, 26 Dec. 2011. Web. 30 Oct.
2016.
Bronner, Ethan. "Israel and Syria Negotiate as Turkey Mediates." The New York Times. The New York
Times, 21 May 2008. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.
Zion Ilan Ben, Avi Issacharoff, Marissa Newman, Agencies, Dov Lieber, Ted Bridis, Eric Tucker, AP,
TOI, and Cnaan Liphshiz. "Hundreds Rally for Soldier Accused in Hebron Shooting." The Times of Israel.
The Times of Israel, 19 Apr. 2016. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.
Appendix or Appendices
I.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14724842 (BBC Golan Heights Profile)
Provides a good, concise summary of the key points of the issue of the occupied Golan Heights,
with relevance to current events.
II.
https://documents-ddsny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N02/392/74/PDF/N0239274.pdf?OpenElement (UN Report on the
Economic and Social Repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the
Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, and of the Arab
population in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights)
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Gives a more detailed insight into the current conditions of the occupied territories based on
government press releases and oral testimonies.
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