Current Context : Israel plans to double its settler population, citing security concerns from Syrian instability on the occupied Golan Heights
About Golan Heights:
- Location:Southwestern Syria, overlooking the Jordan River valley and Sea of Galilee.
- Boundaries:Jordan River (west), Mount Hermon (north), Wadi Al-Ruqqād (east), Yarmūk River (south).
History:
- Captured by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War.
- Syria’s 1973 attempt to reclaim it failed; armistice signed in 1974.
- Israel annexed it in 1981 (unrecognized internationally).
Population: 30+ Israeli settlements (~20,000 residents), deemed illegal under international law.
Strategic Importance:
- Controls routes to Damascus (~60 km) and borders Jordan and Lebanon.
- Key water resource: Sea of Galilee.