Golan heights an 'integral part" of Israel: PM

[tocqueville]

Tue Sep 26, 10:10 AM ET

JERUSALEM (AFP) - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has called the occupied Golan Heights an integral part of Israel and said he would never hand it back to Syria.

"As long as I serve as prime minister the Golan Heights will remain in our hands because it is an integral part of the State of Israel," Olmert was quoted as saying Tuesday by Israeli newspapers.

Israel captured the strategic plateau in the 1967 Six Day War and unilaterally annexed it in 1981.

Damascus has repeatedly demanded the return of the Golan Heights. Peace talks between the Jewish state and Syria have been stalled since January 2000 when both sides failed to reach agreement on the territory.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060926/wl_mideast_afp/mideastconflictisraelsyriagolan;_ylt=Aqc_snCS91JhQMH351zaqcuBzdAF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--

[Tom Joad]

1. So Olmert is saying he doesn't want peace, and will never comply

with international law.

[sabbat hunter]

2. under UN resolutions

Israel has a right to safe and defensible borders and must be recognized by all nations. Syria so far has refused to acknowledge Israel's right to exist. Also being in the golan heights argueably gives israel safe and defensible borders to its north. (previously syria used the heights to rain rockets and bombs down on the farms below)

[Violet_Crumble]

3. Which UN resolution allows Israel to take territory?

Also being in the golan heights argueably gives israel safe and defensible borders to its north.

I don't recall there being a UN resolution that says Israel can take whatever territory it likes and define it as its border...

[sabbat hunter]

4. resolutions 242 and 338

Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338... rest on two principles, Israel may administer the territory until its Arab neighbors make peace; and when peace is made, Israel should withdraw to 'secure and recognized borders', which need not be the same as the Armistice Demarcation Lines of 1949.

as per wikipedia.

of course this is open to interpretation but that is what the resolutions say.


and of course syria fails to mention that it wants back land it occupied in 1948 that was supposed to belong to israel under the partion plan. this land is in the jordan valley. syria captured it in 1948, didnt give it back of course, and israel recaptured it in 1967 and now syria cries and claims the area is theirs.

[cali]

5. I don't see how

Israel's continued occupation of the Golan Heights is defensible. Yes, I understand the concern about safe and secure borders, but I'd argue that the continuing occupation is a major factor in jeopardizing Israeli security. Israel should return the Golan to Syria, then the onus to make peace with Israel truly would be on Syria.

[sabbat hunter]

6. golan heights

syria has used the golan heights in the past to bomb israel from a high position into the valley below.

the best solution actually is to have a DMZ in the middle of the heights, israel withdraws partially down the heights, but keeps part of them, syria gets to go back to part as well. all sides can claim victory that way.


but until syria recognizes israel without any condition this cannot happen.

[Tom Joad]

7. What are Israel's borders?

[sabbat hunter]

8. the borders

should approximate the green line of 1948, with adjustments allowed under UN resolutions for Israel to have safe and defensible borders.

[Tom Joad]

11. So as of now Israel has no clearly defined borders?

[sabbat hunter]

12. israels borders

are the approximate green line. but UN resolutions allow for adjusting them for security reasons.

unfortunately under the UN resolutions tehre are no clearly defined borders for israel.

the partion borders? the green line borders? etc


if israel were to withdraw completely to the pre 1967 borders it would mean they are withdrawing from land that belonged to them under hte original partition plan and giving it to syria (jordan valley near the golan heights) also jerusalem was supposed to be an international city (especially the old city) one could argue that under the current arrangement of the old city holy sites (each religion administers its respective holy site) that it is an international city.


since that wasnt occupied by israel prior to 1967 do you think it should revert to syria?
what borders do you think israel should have?

[breakaleg]

9. That's the argument that Israel uses for stealing lands from it's

neighbors. And it's absurd.

[sabbat hunter]

10. israel has shown a willingness

to negotiate and give land back when it has a willing partner. see egypt and the sinai. that was done under a likuid government no less.

problem is syria isnt a serious partner. they refuse to recognize israel.


but the UN does allow israel safe and defensible borders. is that a problem?

[nicoll]

13. It does not belong to Israel

What is it about Israel that makes them think they can do what ever they want and just ignore international law and at the same time think they have a right to be part of the UN. Has long as Syria does does not develop the Golan heights militarily it should be returned to Syria. It just does not belong to Israel and how can Israel expect for her arabic neighbors to even accept her right to exist when it does not respect other countries land and occupies it illegally. Please someone tell what justification Israel has to take land that does not belong to her and then colonize it- I would really love to hear someone justify it. I am sure you will way it is self defense, but it seems more like colonization - over 17,000 Jewish settlers live there and the number is growing. At a min there should be no Jewish civilians on the land and only a limited number of troops - otherwise it goes much further than just defense.