US Golan Heights Decision: Middle East Eye

Israel has occupied large sections of Palestinian territory for more than 50 years, and the US president suggested on Twitter: “it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel's Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability.” The stance reinforces policies of Israel’s prime minister before a 9 April election. The Trump administration’s decisions to eliminate the word “occupied” when referring to Gaza, Golan Heights or the West Bank – along with relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem and other policies – upend longstanding US policies. “These developments are part and parcel of how the US assumes it will deal with the Palestinian issue: through the removal of political solutions based on the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, in accordance with international law and resolutions,” explains Mohsen Abu Ramadan. He suggests the goal is to encourage more Israeli settlements, fragmenting Palestinian communities while blocking the quest for a Palestinian state. At the same time, Israel supports Saudi Arabia’s efforts to isolate Iran, with the hope that Arabs have lost their fervor for supporting the Palestinian cause. Ramadan urges Palestinians to develop their own narrative of the conflict, one relevant for Arab and international audiences. – YaleGlobal