President Trump’s recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights was well received by most of the Israeli public, but met with disapproval from most of the international community. The American measure clashes with the commonly held position in international law, anchored in the UN Charter, that a country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected, and that wartime acquisition of territory does not confer a right to sovereignty over that territory. Therefore, the international community – as well as countries in the region, including those with relations with Israel – will most likely continue to oppose the American measure. That said, the measure does not preclude a future Israeli government from negotiating with Syria over the Golan Heights, and the measure itself could be be amended by a different American administration. It is unlikely that this measure will lead to any escalation with Syria beyond the existing tensions, and it has no particular security ramifications. It complicates the US administration’s ability to advance the “deal of the century,” and to promote cooperation with countries in the region. The bolstered image of the US administration as unconditionally supportive of Israel and its policies vis-à-vis its Arab neighbors also has implications for the approach in Israel that further territorial annexations are possible.

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