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Rep. Gottheimer urges Trump to recognize Israeli control of Golan

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) sent a letter to President Trump on Friday urging him to adopt a “comprehensive strategy” on the day after withdrawal from Syria and to formally recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

“In recent months, Iranian-backed militias fighting alongside Assad’s forces assailed rebels in southwestern Syria, bringing Shia militiamen within reach of the Golan and Israel,” states the letter obtained by Jewish Insider. “Given the state of present-day Syria and its foreseeable future, requiring Israel to cede control over this area would pose an unacceptable risk to our ally’s existence. The United States must make clear that we are committed to rolling back Iran’s presence in Syria and consider a range of measures, including recognition of the Golan, to protect our ally Israel from serious threats on its borders.”

Last month, Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced a Senate resolution encouraging the United States to formally recognize Israeli sovereignty of the Golan. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Jewish Insider that he supports the move.

MK Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid), who has been lobbying Congress for months, tells us: “The American administration and both parties – Republicans and Democrats – should lead an international process of recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Doing so is not only historically just but also strategically smart. I raised the issue on my last visit to the United States with dozens of senior members of the House and Senate and am pleased to see some of them now leading the efforts on Capitol Hill.”

Rep. Gottheimer Letter to P… by on Scribd

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