Blinken Supports Israel Holding Golan, But Backs Off Recognizing Sovereignty

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that under current conditions he supports Israel controlling the Golan Heights, but cast doubt on the legality of the Trump administration’s decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the strategic plateau.

During an interview with CNN, Blinken was asked if the Biden administration would continue to “see the Golan Heights as part of Israel.”

“Look, leaving aside the legalities of that question, as a practical matter, the Golan is very important to Israel’s security,” Blinken said.

“As long as [dictator Bashar] Assad is in power in Syria, as long as Iran is present in Syria, militia groups backed by Iran, the Assad regime itself – all of these pose a significant security threat to Israel, and as a practical matter, the control of the Golan in that situation I think remains of real importance to Israel’s security,” he said.

However, he indicated that in the future US could be open to reexamining that position.

Read more at Times of Israel.

{Matzav.com}