On Thursday, the timing of the announcement that the United States will recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights undermined the announcement’s impact. Shortly after the visit, Trump announced via a tweet his intention to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. As a result, non-Jewish residents of the Golan Heights (mainly Druze) hold Israeli citizenship, unlike Palestinian residents in the West Bank. But formally acknowledging Israeli sovereignty would contravene UN Security Council Resolution 497. Meanwhile, the relatively small non-Jewish population on the Golan Heights is not clamouring to return to Syrian rule.

Source: National Post March 25, 2019 14:26 UTC