U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said on Monday he would lobby the U.S. administration to recognize the Golan Heights as belonging to Israel.
The South Carolina Republican said he aimed to change the current U.S.-designation of the Golan, which Israel captured from Syria in 1967, as disputed territory. He spoke during a tour of the plateau, captured from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman
Israel effectively annexed the Golan in 1981, in a move not recognized internationally, when it adopted legislation that applied its laws to the area.
"The Golan is not disputed. It is in the hands of Israel and will always remain in the hands of Israel," Graham said from a cliff overlooking Syria, where Syrian flags could be seen fluttering in the distance on buildings damaged in the country's civil war. "My goal is to try to explain this to the administration," he said.
"I come here as an American. I come here to try to figure out what's best for America. What's best for America is a safe, secure and prosperous Israel," he said.
Graham said, "I will go back the U.S. Senate, working with Senator [Ted] Cruz; I will start an effort to recognize the Golan as part of the State of Israel, now and forever."
He said, "Israel occupied this territory by fighting for its survival. This territory was taken by military force because it was used as a launching point to attack the State of Israel. This territory has a rich Jewish history.
"Strategically, I am standing on one of the most important pieces of ground in the State of Israel."
Companion resolutions calling on the United States to follow through with this recognition were introduced last month by Cruz, and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisconsin).
Josh Gottheimer, a Democratic congressman from New Jersey, sent a letter to Trump in January, also calling for recognition of the Golan, in addition to implementing a "comprehensive strategy" to combat Iran amid the administration's planned withdrawal of American troops from Syria.
In past negotiations, Syria had demanded a withdrawal from the Golan as part of any peace deal. With Syria ravaged by a nearly eight-year-old civil war, peace talks with Israel seem unlikely anytime soon.
Graham called the prospect of Israeli withdrawal from the Golan "a strategic nightmare" and political "suicide," citing shared Israeli and American concern over Iranian entrenchment in neighboring Syria. Israel has admitted to carrying out scores of airstrikes in Syria against Iranian targets in recent years.
Graham told reporters, "There is no construct I can imagine now or any time in the future for the state of Israel to give the Golan up" given the threats Israel faces.
Netanyahu applauded Graham's remarks and asserted that Israel would never give up the land.
He said, "Senator, this is not your first time in the Golan Heights, but I think every time you come here, you can appreciate the strategic importance of Israel being on the Golan Heights. And the fact that we're creating here new life, green life, a future, which is very different obviously from what existed before.
Netanyahu said, "The Golan has always been part of Israel, from the earliest days of our history, and has certainly been part of the State of Israel since 1967, and more recently 1981. The Golan is part of Israel."
Thanking Graham for his "unbelievable support," the prime minister said, "I think it's very important that the international community recognize this fact, and accept it, and most especially our great friend, the United States of America."
Addressing Israeli reporters in Hebrew, Netanyahu said, "You heard very strong words here from Senator Graham that express American policy, President Trump's policy, of support for Israel. They are taking this to a very concrete step – to keep the Golan as part of Israel. Otherwise, our border will be with Iran on the shores of the Kinneret [ Sea of Galilee] – and we are not prepared to accept that.
He called Graham's remarks "very, very promising for our national security."
While Friedman did not make any comments during the tour, he told Israel Hayom half a year ago that he did not see any possibility of Israel withdrawing from the Golan as such a move would threaten its security.
On Sunday, Graham toured Hamas terror tunnels on Israel's border with the Gaza Strip.
Republican senators introduced a bill last month that would recognize Israeli sovereignty over the disputed territory. Graham, one of the co-sponsors, said he expected the legislation to galvanize bipartisan support.
The Trump administration has moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, slashed hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the Palestinian Authority and shut down the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Washington.
Last week the U.S. also shuttered its consulate, which served as a de facto embassy to the Palestinians, and handed diplomatic reigns to Ambassador David Friedman, a staunch supporter of the settlement movement.
The Israeli government has welcomed this string of supportive moves in anticipation of the so-called "deal of the century," the administration's peace plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which the Palestinians have preemptively rejected.
Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner has said he will unveil the plan after Israeli elections on April 9.
