Golan Heights

In News

• Israel fired several surface-to-surface missiles toward Syrian military positions in the country’s south causing material damage. 

Golan Heights (Golan Plateau) 

• About:
  • Golan Heights refers to the border region captured from Syria by Israel during the Six-Day Middle-East War of 1967.
  • This region includes the western two-thirds of the geological Golan Heights and the Israeli-occupied part of Mount Hermon.
• Geographically: 
  • It is bounded by the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee on the west, Mount Hermon on the north, the seasonal Wadi Al-Ruqq?d on the east, and the Yarmuk River on the south.
• International Recognition:
  • The U.S. was the first country to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan, which the rest of the international community regards as Israeli-occupied.

• Oslo Accords:
  • It was backed by the United Nations (UN) and signed between the Israeli government and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1993. 
  • Under this, a part of the West Bank came under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

Source: TH