Escalation of tension around Israel due to the Golan Heights. Golan Heights in the history and fate of Israel Dutch Heights

Introduction

On this moment the situation in the Golan Heights is escalating - Donald document transfer of these disputed territories Israel. All this leads to further tension in relations between the Jewish state and all the Arab countries with which it is surrounded.

In arid regions of the world, it is rivers that supply water to people and agriculture. But rivers do not respect national boundaries. So sometimes it becomes inevitable conflicts over coveted water. Back in the 1990s, experts predicted that the cause of wars in the 21st century would not be oil, but water.

Jordan - aggravation

The political and religious conflict between Israel and neighboring states is aggravated by the use of the waters of the Jordan River. The Middle East is one of the least rainy regions in the world. It is therefore not surprising that the Jordan River, which stretches over 250 kilometers, is central to the water supply of Israel, Syria, Jordan and the Palestinian territories. These countries need much more water than a small river can provide.

Fact! In the 21st century, water will become one of the most important resources. There are already local conflicts over fresh water, soon these conflicts may develop into global ones.

When Israel occupied Syria Golan Heights and the West Bank in 1967, the reason for this was not only a political conflict with its neighbors. This mainly concerned the water supply of the still young state, since in the occupied areas there were three main sources of water and tributaries of the Jordan.

Since then, about 90% of Jordanian water has been sent to Israel, especially for export purposes. Agriculture. The rest of the neighbors are forced to make do with the remaining water.

So, Jordan gets by with water from the Sea of Galilee, through which the Jordan flows. In 1994, a peace agreement between Israel and Jordan regulated water withdrawals in principle. But the Sea of Galilee consists of fresh water only in upper layers. Its lower layers are salty. Israel gets fresh water from upper layers using powerful pumps. Jordan, on the other hand, must make do with salt water from the lower layers, which can only be used after desalination by expensive plants.

Economic conflict?

Although water diversions between Israel and Jordan are regulated, the Jewish state does not grant Palestinians any rights to the precious water. By occupying the West Bank, Israel secured all the groundwater resources in the region.

Capture water! Israel has captured almost everything in the region water resources, reserving only the right to full use of water in everyday life and households. This cannot but go without special attention from Jordan and other Arab countries.

Since then Palestinian farmers banned from drilling new wells. Water intake from existing wells is regulated by quotas. However, Israeli settlers drilled new, much deeper wells near Palestinian natural springs. Numerous old wells have dried up, leaving Palestinians in many areas without water. Palestinian farmers were cut off from water while Israeli agriculture flourished.

The future of the Nile waters

The Nile is the longest river in the world. Over a length of almost 6,700 kilometers, it flows through ten countries. Although the Central African states upstream of the river are not overly dependent on water, it is vital for Sudan and Egypt.

The situation in Egypt is especially difficult - it can't exist without Nile. The country gets 97% of its water needs from the big river. All life in Egypt takes place on the banks of the Nile.

Ribbon State! For thousands of years, the fate of Egypt has always depended on the waters itself. long river in the world - Nile. And these days it is also difficult to imagine the full development of this Arab country separately from the life-giving moisture that En-Nil provides.

For this reason, the state, which became independent in 1922, entered into an agreement with the British back in 1929, according to which all coastal states must ask Egypt for permission for the use of Nile waters. In 1959, Egypt reached an agreement with Sudan, which had also become independent, on the fair use of the river.

As long as none of the countries on the upper Nile wanted to use this water, the agreement was enough. But when Ethiopia announced the construction of a dam on its territory in 1980, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat responded with a direct threat: “He who plays with the water of the Nile declares war on us!”.

Diplomatic decisions

For decades, the Egyptian threat has been present. In addition, many The southern Nile countries have long been politically unstable, which hindered the systematic management of water resources.

But with the settlement of the situation in Rwanda, Uganda and Ethiopia, new potential for conflict was created. The situation was defused by the 1999 Nile Basin Initiative. She regularly brings all Nile countries to the table to discuss water use issues.

Control over the Nile! Egypt has the right to control the use of Nile waters, suggesting that water problems could start for anyone who relies heavily on it in the arid region of the world.

Constant dialogue has eliminated most of the conflicts over the past few years. But much depends on Egypt, which is still considers himself the main owner of the Nile. For example, the planned Toshka channel project may have a negative impact on sentiment. Through this project, Egypt wants to transform the desert into agricultural land. This will require much more water than Egypt consumes today.

Euphrates and Tigris - conflicts in Mesopotamia

For thousands of years, people have used the waters of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Regular floods brought precious water and nutrient-rich mud to the fields.

Today, the importance of these two rivers for Mesopotamia has not changed, only more water is now required. This leads to an ever-simmering conflict between the littoral states - Syria, Turkey and Iraq.

Unlike the Nile states, Mesopotamian countries cannot agree about the general approach to water use. Each state with its large projects displeases others. Already in the 1970s, Iraq built large dams on the Tigris, and Syria on the Euphrates. Thus, water supplies were jeopardized and relations between the countries became tense. Only through the mediation of the League of Arab States and the Soviet Union was it possible to prevent an armed conflict.

Türkiye – without taking into account other interests

Türkiye has a decisive influence for water supply in the region. It lies at the headwaters of two rivers and determines how much water Syria and Iraq receive. The construction of two dams in 1974 and 1986 also led to threats of war between the countries. However, since Turkey is the most powerful military state, as well as a member of NATO, its threats are listened to.

Thus, no one stopped Turkey from carrying out its projects: by 2010, a total of 22 dams, 9 power plants and 25 huge irrigation structures were to be built to strengthen southern Anatolian agriculture and industry. Due to financial difficulties, the completion of the project was postponed indefinitely.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu goes to see Putin. Apparently, there is something to discuss and talk about. If only because on Sunday, April 17 (Sunday, if anyone doesn’t know, is a working day in Israel), the Israeli government held its retreat there for the first time in 49 years of occupation of the Golan Heights.

An impressive demonstration, especially considering what the Israeli Prime Minister's Office released after the speech.

“It is obvious to everyone that Israel is not the source of the problems in the Golan, but the path to their resolution.”

"The Golan Heights will forever remain in the hands of Israel, Israel will never retreat from the Golan Heights."

“The border will not be moved, no matter how events develop on the other side.”

On the other side - this is clear, in Syria.

Actually, Mr. Netanyahu outlined everything quite succinctly and clearly.

Only one thing is unclear: what world problems does Israel solve through occupation? So far, there is only one problem: Israel’s absolutely illegal occupation of the Golan Heights and its absolute disregard for both the demands of Syria (okay, they have a war there, albeit a truce today) and the demands of the UN Security Council.

Meanwhile, UN Security Council Resolution No. 242 has never been repealed. It was adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on November 22, 1967 at the 1382nd meeting.

But no one (meaning Israel) rushed to fulfill it.

And UN Security Council Resolution 497 of December 17, 1981 considers this area to be part of the Syrian occupied territories. And this resolution was issued after the Israeli Knesset in the same December 1981 extended its jurisdiction to the territory of the Golan.

A few words about the Golan itself. Before the famous events of half a century ago, 147 thousand people lived in the Golan Heights. The center is the city of El Quneitra.

After Israel captured these territories during the Six-Day War in 1967, the bulk of the Arabs living there left. About 7 thousand Druze remain, mainly in the northern Golan.

And the Israelis simply razed El-Quneitra to the ground. The city is virtually uninhabited to this day. After proper “processing” it was seemingly handed over to Syria, but in fact Quneitra is located on neutral territory.

Today, about 40 thousand people live in the Golan. About half are Druze, who are loyal to Israel, and half are Israeli citizens, for whom 34 villages have been built since 1967.

After the occupation of the Golan Heights, Israeli fortified posts were established here, equipped with electronic equipment for reconnaissance. Most large stations electronic reconnaissance are located on Mount Hermon (60 km from Damascus), as well as on the heights of Hermonit, Tel Fares, Avital and Booster. Re-mining has been underway since 2011 border areas, in 2012, construction of a wall began along the entire demarcation line.

Why is Israel so reluctant to part with the Golan? Gaza - take it tomorrow, the bank of the Jordan - today. But the Golan - never.

According to the Israeli military, the natural topography of the Golan is ideal for ensuring Israel's security on its eastern borders. And the loss of the Golan, from the tops of which almost half of Israel is freely shot at, significantly reduces its defense capability.

Yes, we can agree. Indeed, from 1948 to 1967, Syria shelled Israeli territory from the heights. 140 people were killed in the shelling. For 19 years. On average 7 people per year. If you study the statistics of the strained relations between Israel and Palestine, the part where the figures of Israeli losses from the Palestinians are given, it becomes funny. Palestinian knives and pistols are more effective than Syrian artillery.

Or you can take Operation Enduring Rock. For a month and a half, from July 7 to August 26, 2014, Israel lost 69 people killed and more than 800 wounded.

As an example of the need to maintain an Israeli presence in the Golan Heights, the Israeli leadership usually cites the fact that the transition of this area under Israeli sovereignty has ensured more than three decades of “positive calm” in an area where constant military clashes had previously occurred. Conversely, transferring the Golan back to Syria could destabilize the security situation.

Well, yes, there, in Israel, there is peace and grace today.

But personally, I am sure that this is not the true essence of the issue of non-return.

I fully support the opinion that the true essence is in the water. Currently, Israel gets more than 30% of its drinking water from springs in the Golan. Lake Tiberias, which is the main reservoir of fresh water in the country, is struggling to cope with growing needs. And there is also the Kinneret reservoir. And the loss of springs in the Golan could lead to water famine in Israel. Do they, the Israelis, need it?

In addition, the Golan Heights is a very attractive area economically.

50 % mineral water Israel, 26% of wines, about half of which are exported, from 30 to 50% of some fruits and vegetables. Plus tourists. Not as good as other places, but 2.3-2.5 million people a year are accepted.

So it turns out that West Bank Israel is ready to give up the Jordan and Gaza rivers, if only they would take them, since these are rather dull places with an inadequate, as we would say, population, but the Golan, where only their own or almost their own people live, is not.

“I won’t give my cow to anyone, I need such a beast myself.”

In general, everything is quite logical. Jewish pragmatism and nothing.

In this regard, Netanyahu’s visit to Putin looks quite interesting. Especially after such steps as the visiting session in the Golan and such eloquent statements. Syria is still our ally, you know...

Geography

View from the Golan Heights.

The Golan Heights are a mountain plateau of volcanic origin, extending east from Lake Tiberias (ordinary name: Lake Kinneret) and the Hula Valley, and further into Syria. Most of it is located at an altitude of more than 1000 meters above sea level. The area of the Golan Heights occupied by Israel is about 1,150 km² with a length of 60 km and an average width of 25 km.

In the west, the plateau abruptly ends towards Lake Tiberias, in the south and southeast it is limited by the deep and narrow gorge of the Yarmouk River. There are no clear natural boundaries in the east. Most of the Golan Plateau is located in Syria.

The highest point in the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan Heights is Mount Hermon at 2236 m. The territory occupied by Israel accounts for 7% of the Hermon range, and the highest point in Syrian territory reaches 2814 m. At least from November to March, the peak of Hermon is covered with snow. Israel built a ski resort there.

Agriculture is well developed and consists of numerous orchards (apples, cherries), berries (raspberries, strawberries). Grape growing and winemaking enjoy great success.

At the southwestern tip of the plateau are the thermal springs of Hamat Gader, known since Roman times.

The Golan Heights are quite a picturesque place. There are numerous nature reserves, streams and waterfalls here. The climate of the Golan is very temperate. Thanks to the altitude, it is not very hot here in summer and quite cold in winter, relative to the rest of Israel.

Story

Archaeological excavations in the Golan have revealed many archaeological sites from the biblical, Roman and medieval eras. A large number of ancient finds that shed light on the history of the Golan Heights are presented in the Golan Antiquities Museum in the city of Katzrin and in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

The most ancient sights of the Golan Heights include the Wheel of Spirits, a megalith of the late Copper - Early Bronze Age.

Archaeological excavations, which began at the end of the 19th century and became systematic only after the Six-Day War, have discovered many architectural monuments indicating the existence of a dense Jewish population there at least from the time of Herod I until the Arab conquest in the 7th century. Ruins of synagogues, columns with images of Jewish symbols and with inscriptions in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek were found in the areas of the villages of Hammat Gader, Khirbat Kanaf, Kafr Harib, the city of Katzrin and in many other places.

In biblical times, the Golan Heights area belonged to Bashan and was inhabited by the Rephaim. The name Golan comes from the name of the biblical city “Golan in Bashan” (Deut.).

Ancient synagogue and wall in Gamla.

Ottoman Empire

After the end of the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878, the emigration of Circassians from Russian Empire to Syria. The lands allocated to settlers on the border with the nomadic Bedouins were in most cases deserted and unsuitable for agriculture. The authorities did not provide any real assistance in settling the refugees. The English traveler Lawrence Oliphant wrote that in 1880, about seven Circassian villages with a population of 3,000 people appeared on the Golan Heights. Later, the Turks settled several more villages near El Quneitra and other cities and main roads. Their population, if necessary, had to act together with regular units of the Turkish army.

World War I

In November 1917, a declaration was issued by the British Foreign Secretary (and previously Prime Minister) Lord Arthur Balfour, in which the British government stated that “looks favorably upon the creation of a homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine and uses all its capabilities to hasten the achievement of this goal...”. The main motive for supporting the idea of creating a Jewish national state in Palestine was to gain the sympathy of world Jewry at the end of the First World War (this was especially true for American Jews).

The fighting on the Palestine front ended only in October 1918 with the signing of the Armistice of Mudros. Shortly after defeat in World War I, the Ottoman Empire collapsed.

Mandates

At the same time, in 1920, the Syrian Arab Kingdom was founded with its center in Damascus. Faisal from the Hashemite dynasty, who later became the king of Iraq, was declared king. But Syria's independence did not last long. Within a few months, the French army occupied Syria, defeating Syrian troops on July 23 at the Battle of Maysalun Pass.

The British Mandate for Palestine was supposed to come into force in September 1923, but Britain transferred the Golan Heights to France in March 1923, and they became part of the French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon.

From that time on, Jewish attempts to establish settlements here met with constant opposition from the French authorities in Mandatory Syria. The French Mandate existed until 1943.

In 1936, a treaty was signed between Syria and France providing for Syrian independence, but in 1939 France refused to ratify it.

In 1940, France itself was occupied by German troops, and Syria came under the control of the Vichy Regime (governor General Denz). Nazi Germany, having provoked the rebellion of Prime Minister Geilani in British Iraq, sent units of its air force to Syria. In June-July 1941, with the support of British troops, units of the Free French (later renamed Fighting France) led by generals Charles de Gaulle and Catroux entered Syria during a bloody conflict with the troops of Denz. General de Gaulle in his memoirs directly indicated that the events in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon were directly related to German plans to invade the USSR (as well as Greece, including the island of Crete and Yugoslavia), since they had the task of distracting the Allied armed forces to secondary theaters of war.

On September 27, 1941, France granted independence to Syria, leaving its troops on its territory until the end of World War II.

In January 1944, Syria declared independence, and the Golan territory was included in the state borders of Syria. After this, the creation of Jewish settlements in the Golan Heights became absolutely impossible. Syrian independence was recognized on April 17, 1946.

Independent Syria

On May 14, 1948, one day before the end of the British Mandate for Palestine, David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the creation of an independent Jewish state on the territory allocated according to the UN plan. The very next day, the League of Arab States declared war on Israel, and immediately five Arab states (Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq and Transjordan) attacked new country, thereby starting the First Arab-Israeli War, called the "War of Independence" in Israel.

On July 20, 1949, as a result of the war, an Armistice Agreement was concluded between Israel and Syria.

At the end of the war, the Syrians covered the Golan with a network of artillery positions and fortifications to bombard the Jewish settlements of the Upper Galilee and the Sea of Galilee region, subordinating the entire economy of the region to military needs. As a result of systematic shelling of Israeli territory from these positions, from 1948 to 1967, 140 Israelis were killed and many were wounded.

Israeli occupation since 1967

At the same time, according to the American historian Daniel Pipes, known for his criticism of the modern Islamic world, the Syrian authorities, in order to achieve a propaganda effect, did not allow the population to return to the city to their normal life and have since been demonstrating the ruins of the city as a result of Israeli “unprecedented terrorism and cruelty." The American organization CAMERA claims that the destruction of the city is the result of military operations by Syria, which, in an attempt to shell Israeli positions in the Golan, subjected Quneitra to powerful artillery shelling for hours in 1970-1973.

Buildings in Quneitra were also looted. Israeli officials claim that Quneitra was sacked by the retreating Syrians. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Nils-Göran Güssing, regards this version as unlikely, given the extremely short period of time between the erroneous radio announcement of the fall and the actual fall of the city several hours later. He concluded that "responsibility for carrying out this extensive sack of the city of Quneitra lay largely with Israeli forces."

Warning sign on minefields.

The US Committee on Refugees and Immigrants reported that "the Israelis leveled the city with bulldozers and dynamite before withdrawing."

Since 1974, Quneitra has been located in a demilitarized no-man's land between the Israeli and Syrian borders, controlled by UN forces. The city remains virtually uninhabited to this day.

The capital of the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan is the city of Katzrin.

In the late 1970s, the government granted Israeli citizenship to Syrian citizens living in the Heights, and in November 1981, Israel officially annexed the Golan Heights, extending its jurisdiction over it. The act did not receive international recognition.

Today, about 39 thousand people live in the Golan. Of the Syrian settlements, 4 villages remain: Majdal Shams, Masada, Bukata and Ein Kiniye; the majority of their inhabitants are Druze.

A large number of old Syrian minefields remain in the Golan Heights. Most of them are fenced off and marked with warning signs, but they are not neutralized. As a result, natural nature has been preserved in a large area and there are places where no human has actually set foot since 1967.

After the occupation of the Golan Heights, Israeli fortified posts were equipped here, equipped with electronic equipment for reconnaissance; the largest electronic reconnaissance stations are located on Mount Hermon (60 km from Damascus), as well as on the heights of Hermonit, Tel Fares, Avital and Booster.

Since the beginning of 2011, IDF units began laying new minefields in the Golan Heights. The decision to re-mined the border was made after Palestinians, who came from Syria, managed to break through the border fence and enter Israeli territory, while the old mines did not work. Additionally, by 2012, Israel had built a separation wall there. The IDF is strengthening a wall along the ceasefire line and installing additional surveillance capabilities across the border to prevent possible infiltration attempts by Syrian refugees or militants, the Guardian newspaper reports.

Political status

In December 1981, by decision of the Knesset, Israeli jurisdiction was extended to the Golan region.

Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights is not internationally recognized, and UN Security Council Resolution 497 considers the area part of the Syrian occupied territories.

The Syrian population of the Golan before the capture of the territory by the Israeli Army was about 116,000 people. During the Six Day War most of this population fled (according to the Israeli version) or was expelled by the Israelis (according to the Syrian version (unavailable link)). According to the Syrian version, Israel banned these people from returning after the war (unavailable link). After the Six Day War, only 6,400 Syrian citizens, mostly Druze, remained in the Golan. In 1981, following the annexation of the Golan by Israel, they were offered Israeli citizenship.

Most Druze initially refused Israeli citizenship, but eventually accepted it. They currently have dual citizenship. Today, according to Syrian data, 16 thousand Syrians live in the Golan (unavailable link).

Since 1967, Israel has built 34 settlements in the Golan. Their total population in 2007 is about 20 thousand people. The population of Druze villages in the Golan is about 18 thousand people. In general, a significant part of the territory is sparsely populated.

The issue of possible negotiations between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights issue has a long history. As a rule, this is associated with internal political events in Israel and/or Syria, or with another international initiative.

Israel's motives

There are several reasons why Israel defends its right to the Golan Heights:

Legal aspect. Israeli legislators, jurists, historians and many politicians for decades have persistently argued and strengthened in the minds of most Israelis the point of view that the Golan is a land that since ancient times belonged to the Jewish people and was illegally transferred to Syria in 1923. According to this point of view, the original Golan, in in accordance with the mandate of the League of Nations, were assigned to Great Britain, and she, guided by the Balfour Declaration, was supposed to promote the creation of a “Jewish national home” in the territories under her control. However, the border of the mandated territory was revised during the Anglo-French negotiations during the division of the Damascus vilayet, in violation of the international obligations of the victorious countries in the First World War.

Military aspect. Israeli politicians argue that the Golan's natural topography is ideal for ensuring Israel's security on its eastern borders. And that, on the contrary, the loss of the Golan, from the tops of which almost half of Israel is freely shot at, significantly reduces its defense capability. As an example of the need to maintain an Israeli presence in the Golan Heights, the Israeli leadership usually cites the fact that the transition of this area under Israeli sovereignty has ensured more than three decades of “positive calm” in an area where constant military clashes took place before liberation. Conversely, the transfer of the Golan to Syria could destabilize the security situation.

Economic aspect. The Golan Heights is economically one of the most prosperous areas of Israel. There is virtually no unemployment here. The Golan produces more than 50% of Israel's mineral water, about a quarter of all wines (including 40% of exports), and from 30 to 50% of certain types of fruits and vegetables. Good weather and the presence of historical and natural monuments ensure an influx of tourists. Although travel business In Israel, which has suffered significantly from the ongoing confrontation with the Palestinians, the Golan continues to receive a steady influx of holidaymakers from Israel and abroad (about 2.1 million visits per year).
In addition, according to Israeli experts, the entire procedure associated with leaving the Golan would cost the state treasury at least $10 billion (the Americans promise to provide only $17 million for this purpose), and the military contingent on the border would have to be increased with Syria. Israel, which is experiencing an acute budget deficit after the costly implementation of Sharon's Gaza plan, cannot afford such expenses.

Water supply aspect. Of the few rivers in Israel with a year-round aquifer, only the Jordan River and its three tributaries (Snir, Banias and Dan) replenish Lake Tiberias, the country’s main reservoir of fresh water, which barely meets its current needs. Currently, Israel draws more than 30% of its drinking water from springs flowing through the Golan Heights. According to experts from the Bureau of Relations with Jews of the CIS and of Eastern Europe under the Office of the Prime Minister (“Nativ”), the transfer of the Golan Heights to Syria is associated with the loss of 70% of the Kinneret drainage basin. The transition of the Golan to Syrian control will inevitably lead Israel to water famine and environmental disaster.

Photos

Notes

Golan Heights - Background, (Government Press Office), Jerusalem, 8 February 1994
The melody of return sounds for the second century, Rodina magazine
Balfour Declaration (November 2, 1917). British Mandate.
The Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs
League of Nations: The Mandate for Palestine, July 24, 1922 (English). Modern History Sourcebook. Fordham University (July 24, 1922). Archived from the original on August 21, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2008.
The Legal Rights of the Jewish People to the Land of Israel in the Light of International Law, Howard Grief
Part 3: Partition, War and Independence (English). The Mideast: A Century of Conflict. National Public Radio (October 2, 2002). Archived from the original on August 21, 2011. Retrieved July 13, 2007.
Israel-Syria Armistice Agreement, 20 July 1949.
R. and W. Churchill. Six Day War
Daniel Pipes. Quneitra, Why in Ruins?
New York Times Quneitra Claims Contradicted by Times Own Reporting
Jeremy Bowen Six Days: How the 1967 War Shaped the Middle East, p. 304. Simon & Schuster Ltd, 2003.

On March 25, 2019, during a meeting, the leaders of the two states, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, signed a document according to which the United States recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. After this, the American president said that Israel would improve its ability to defend itself. What is so remarkable about this mountain plateau, which has not disappeared from journalistic reports for decades, and the issue of control over which is causing serious controversy?

1. Geographically, the Golan Heights are a relatively small plateau of volcanic origin. It is located between Lake Kinneret and the river valley. Hula from the west, as well as the Yarmouk River valley in the south and southeast. In the northern part, these heights go deeper into Syrian territory.

2. Most of the surface of the plateau is elevated 1000 meters or more above sea level. The highest point of the Golan is considered to be a peak with an indicator of 2814 m. It is located on the Syrian territory of this geological formation. If we consider the land controlled by Israel, then on it highest point is Mount Hermon, rising above the surface at 2236 m.

3. total area The Golan Heights is 1861 square meters. km. Of these, approximately 2/3 (about 1,150 sq. km) now belongs to Israel, and the rest (about 600 sq. km) is controlled by Syria. Israel also controls 7% of the Hermon Range.

4. Due to the terrain features climatic conditions in the Golan Heights are very different from the rest of Israel. In summer it is not very hot here, and in winter it is quite cool. This made it possible to actively develop, for example, the tourism business. Mount Hermon, covered with snow for 4 months, made it possible to create here ski resort. 2.1 million tourists come to the Golan throughout the year.

5. Thermal waters have been actively used in this region for a long time. The most ancient of them are the Hamat Gader springs, located in the southwest of the plateau, which people have known about since the times of Ancient Rome.

6. The Golan is covered by an extensive network of rivers and streams. A significant part of them flows into Lake Kinneret and the Jordan River. Basically, they take water from atmospheric precipitation, feeding the main freshwater sources of Israel - the already named Lake Kinneret and the Jordan River. The country receives approximately 25% of its drinking water from the Golan Heights hydrographic network.

7. During the biblical period, the Golan Heights belonged to the region of Bashan and were inhabited by the Rephaim. The name “Golan” also dates back to the same time. It came to the plateau from the biblical city of Golan, which once existed in Bashan.

8. The archaeological expeditions carried out in this territory gave great amount information about ancient periods in the history of Israel. A significant number of rarities found here have expanded human knowledge about the biblical and Roman eras, as well as the more recent medieval one. Most of the ancient finds are exhibited in museums in the cities of Caprin and Jerusalem. In number ancient artifacts includes the megalith "Wheel of Spirits", dating back to the Late Cretaceous - Early Bronze Ages.

9. Although archaeological research in the Golan began in the 19th century. However, they began to be conducted systematically only after the Six-Day War, when most of this territory came under Israeli control. Jewish archaeologists have found confirmation that Jews have lived in the Golan Heights at least since the reign of Herod I. The ruins of synagogues and the remains of columns preserve evidence of this in the form of Jewish symbols and inscriptions, including in Hebrew. It is important that the finds were made in many places, and not in one excavation site.

10. Beginning in 1880, Circassians from the Russian Empire arrived and settled in the Golan. The mountaineers who lost in the Great Caucasian War were forced to leave their homes and move to the Ottoman Empire, then going to its southern borders. First, 7 Circassian villages were formed in the Golan, with up to 3,000 inhabitants. A little later, a number of Circassians were transported to the El-Quneitra area, who organized several villages near the most important roads.

11. In 1920 Italian city San Remo hosted a meeting of representatives of the Entente countries and other states that joined them, which distributed the lands of the former Ottoman Empire in the Middle East region. Some of these territories were handed over to Britain, and some to France. At first, the Golan Heights were included in the British part, which corresponded to the geographical boundaries of Eretz Israel.

12. The British and French mandates for the Turkish Middle Eastern lands were supposed to come into effect in September 1923. However, six months before this, these states agreed to exchange part of the territories. In accordance with a separate agreement, the Golan Heights became a French mandate for Lebanon and Syria. Britain took another area for itself.

13. After the end of the French mandate in 1943, Syria declared its independence. The Golan was included in the province of Quneitra, and Jews were not allowed to enter there. This situation remained until 1967.

14. Syrian statistics say that in 1966, 147.5 thousand people lived in the Golan Heights region. 80% of them were Arabs, occupying 312 settlements, including 2 cities: El Quneitra and Fiq.

15. After the end of the First Arab-Israeli War, a whole network of artillery positions was set up on the Golan Heights, under the jurisdiction of Syria, from which Israeli territory was systematically fired upon. Over 19 years, 140 Israeli citizens were killed from shelling from this territory, and many people were injured of varying degrees of severity.

16. The situation changed after the Six Day War in 1967. Then, during fierce battles, the Israelis recaptured 2/3 of the mountain plateau from the Syrians. The demarcation line established after the end of the fighting became the de facto border between the two states.

17. After Israel captured the Golan Heights, most of the Arab population left there. There were about 7,000 people left who lived in the northern part of the region. However, Israel, fulfilling the provisions of the Separation of Forces Treaty of May 1974, was forced to release the largest locality region.

18. Syria's attempt to return the Golan by force was carried out during the War doomsday 1973. Fierce fighting ensued on the plateau, but victory remained with Israel.

19. In an attempt to stabilize the region, Israel granted citizenship to the Arab population of the Golan in the late 1970s. A couple of years later, the state completely declared the territory of the Golan Heights as its own, extending its jurisdiction to the lands under its control.

20. Due to the fact that both warring sides were intensively preparing for new battles in the Golan, there was massive mining of neutral territories. As a result, areas were formed at the heights where people had not appeared for several decades, which helped preserve the unique natural landscape intact. And after the outbreak of violence in Syria in 2011 Civil War, the Israeli side updated old minefields and began to install new ones in order to secure its territory from terrorists entering it.

21. Israel's retention of the Golan is beneficial to the state from a security perspective. From elevated positions on the hills, modern artillery can shell half the country, which is absolutely unacceptable. It is this aspect that the Israeli leadership cites as the main argument when demanding the end of the sovereignty of the heights and the transfer of the plateau to the jurisdiction of Syria.

22. Another factor in maintaining control of the Golan Heights was the civil war in Syria. During the period of maximum intensity of fighting, almost the entire Syrian part of the heights began to be controlled by terrorists. Having a border that they could not cross saved Israel from extremely unpleasant consequences.

23. Now the Israeli part of the Golan Heights is sparsely populated. The number of people permanently living here does not exceed 20,000 people, the absolute majority of which are Druze. In order to somehow attract people to these places, since 1967, at the expense of budgetary funds, Israel has built 34 settlements and built a network quality roads. After the settlement of Jews in the Golan Heights, this region began to develop by leaps and bounds.

24. Now the Golan is one of the most prosperous regions of the country. There is almost no unemployment here, and agriculture is developing well. It is estimated that on this small plot of land up to 30% of some types of vegetables and fruits are produced, up to a quarter of all wines, of which 40% are exported. In addition, more than half of the mineral water consumed in the country is produced here.

25. In addition to developing agriculture, Israel carefully protects the nature of this region. Here, hundreds of trees are planted by hand every year, millions of migratory birds are fed, and natural reserves are created and maintained.