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Trump Calls for Israeli Sovereignty over Golan Heights
(Foundation for Defense of Democracies) Jonathan Schanzer and David Adesnik - Israel floated the possibility of withdrawal from the majority of the Golan Heights during peace talks with Syria in the 1990s and 2000s, but the outbreak of civil war in Syria in 2011 has changed Israel's calculus. If Syria had regained control of this territory prior to the outbreak of the current conflict, Sunni extremists or Iranian proxies might now occupy the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Even with full control of the Golan, Israel continues to face serious threats from just across the border. The Golan is not contested by the Palestinians. The Arab population there consists of about 20,000 Druze. Jonathan Schanzer is the senior vice president for research at FDD, where David Adesnik is the director of research.