The Syrian Golan and Israeli Violations

On the International arena the occupied Syrian Golan does not occupy a front seat with only the Syrian government highlighting the illegality of the occupation and annexation at all  relevant United Nations meetings. Annexed by Israel in 1981 in violation of international law, the occupied Syrian Golan and its citizens suffer harshly from the unchecked Israeli violations . Away from the spotlight, the occupation continues to extend its reach. UN Security Council resolution 497 (1981) states that the Israeli decision to impose its law, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan is null and void and without international effect. More recently, UN General Assembly resolution 77/125 of 12 December 2022 reaffirmed the Security Council resolution, while continuing to call upon Israel to desist from changing the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure and legal status of the occupied Syrian Golan and in particular to desist from the establishment of settlements.  Nonetheless, these actions have continued.Israel guaranteed American backing no matter completely ignored UN resolutions and in July 2022, the National Planning and Building Council of Israel approved the establishment of the two new settlements (Orcha and Matar) in the occupied Syrian Golan, each of which is expected to have 2,000 housing units. These settlements were to be built on usurped Syrian land of course.   Approximately 1 billion shekels was expected to be invested as part of Israel’s plan to develop the occupied area.  However  plans for the development of the Syrian villages paled in comparison to those intended for settlers representing less than one percent of the planned budget.In addition  Syrian farmers faced continued challenges in accessing water and are unable to compete with the subsidized agricultural production of the settlements.This resulted in livelihoods having to be  reoriented and the importance of agriculture in the occupied Syrian Golan has declined.  Furthermore,  in the name of security, Syrian farmers’ access to the agricultural lands in the vicinity of the planned wind turbines would be limited to a certain number of days a year, which would affect their capacity to fully harvest the cherries or apples being grown.  Israel is carrying out all these practices and violations with the aim of further oppressing the Syrian citizens of the Golan so that they have no choice but to accept Israeli citizenship.This however does not appear to be happening as the Syrians of the Golan are strongly adherent to their motherland Syria which has opened its schools ,universities and markets to them with special facilitation.