Colombia’s far-right government recognises Israeli claim over Golan Heights

The South American nation is only the second country to recognise Israel’s claims over the illegally annexed Syrian territory.Colombia has become only the second country to recognise Israel’s claim of sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, just days after far-right President Abelardo de la Espriella took power.Colombia’s Foreign Ministry made the announcement on Monday, joining the United States as the only other country to recognise Israel’s annexation of the territory in 1981.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3‘Badge of honour’: Israeli settlers shrug off global condemnationlist 2 of 3With Israel unleashed, there can be no peace in the Middle Eastlist 3 of 3President Ahmed al-Sharaa: Syria seeking security deal with Israelend of list“The Government of Colombia recognises Israeli sovereignty over this territory, as well as that State’s right to protect itself against external threats,” read a statement published on X.“Colombia recognises that maintaining Israel’s control and sovereignty over the Golan Heights is an essential component of its national defence,” it added.Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar thanked his “good friend” de la Espriella for the “historic” recognition.He said the pair had agreed on the move in the Colombian city of Barranquilla a day before de la Espriella’s inauguration.Israel captured most of the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War, before illegally annexing the territory in 1981. The move was rejected by most of the international community, although the US formally recognised Israel’s claim in 2019 during President Donald Trump’s first term in office.The United Nations recognises the region as a part of Syria, and last month, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated that stance, describing Israeli occupation as “totally unacceptable”.Syria tried to regain the Golan in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, but was thwarted. Israel and Syria signed an armistice in 1974, and the Golan has been relatively quiet since.