Why is it in the News?

India has voted in favour of a draft resolution in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that expressed deep concern over Israel not withdrawing from the Syrian Golan.

About the Syrian Golan/Golan Heights:

• Location: Situated in south-western Syria, the Golan Heights is a rocky plateau sharing borders with Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan.
• The elevated terrain overlooks the Jordan Rift Valley, housing the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River, with Mount Hermon as a dominant feature.
• Demography: Over 40,000 people reside in the Israeli-occupied Golan, with a majority being Druze, an Arab minority practicing a distinct form of Islam.
• Although Israel offered Druze residents citizenship after annexation, most identified as Syrian and declined.
• Additionally, about 20,000 Israeli settlers live in the region.
• History of Conflict: Originally part of Syria, Israel captured the Golan Heights in 1967 during the Six-Day War and formally annexed it in 1981.
• Syria attempted to reclaim the area in the 1973 Middle East war but was unsuccessful.
• While an armistice was signed in 1974, international recognition of Israel's annexation is lacking, and Syria insists on the territory's return.
• Significance of Golan Heights: Israel argues that maintaining the Golan as a buffer zone is vital due to the Syrian civil war, protecting Israeli towns from neighboring instability.
• Concerns also include the fear of Iran, an ally of the Syrian president, establishing a permanent presence near the border for potential attacks on Israel.
• Both nations value the Golan's water resources and fertile soil.