ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syria on Tuesday condemned Colombia's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a move that has also prompted a wave of condemnations from regional countries.
Syria “expresses its categorical rejection and condemnation” of the Colombian position and “affirms that the Golan is an inseparable part of its territory," Damascus' foreign ministry said in a statement, denouncing Bogota's stance as "a flagrant violation” of the United Nations’ Charter which “affirms that the Golan is Syrian territory.”
The ministry also hailed the 123 UN member states that backed a General Assembly resolution titled "The Syrian Golan" passed annually, calling it a reflection of "continued international support for Syria's right to recover its occupied territory" and a rejection of "the entrenchment of the occupation or recognition of its consequences."
Damascus further reiterated "its categorical rejection of the continued Israeli attacks and incursions into Syrian territory," affirming it will pursue "all legitimate diplomatic and legal means to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity and established rights" and recover its occupied land.
The remarks came a day after the Colombian foreign ministry on Monday issued a statement recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, citing "the strategic importance" of the 1,800-square-kilometer basaltic plateau for Tel Aviv's security and "the right of that State to protect itself against external threats."
"With this decision, Colombia reaffirms its commitment to the pursuit of a stable and lasting peace in the Middle East," the statement added, noting that the decision entered into force "by both nations" on Saturday.
Israel captured most of the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War. In 1974, a US-brokered Disengagement Agreement established a UN-monitored buffer zone aimed at reducing tensions by delineating separation lines between Syrian and Israeli forces, without establishing formal peace.
More recently, following the ouster of longtime Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in early December 2024, Israeli forces have entered buffer zones east of the Golan Heights, citing concerns that security vacuums could be exploited by "radical elements" linked to the Islamic State (ISIS), al-Qaeda, and Iran-aligned armed groups.
The two sides have held several rounds of rare talks, with the status of the Golan Heights emerging as a key agenda item and Damascus pushing to reactivate the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
The Colombian foreign ministry's stance has also sparked a wave of condemnations from regional countries.
The Iraqi foreign ministry expressed its "strong condemnation and denunciation" of Bogota's statement, adding that "the Golan is occupied Syrian land and no party has the right to change its legal status" and that Colombia's decision "carries no legal effect or weight."
Iraq affirmed its "full solidarity with the Syrian Arab Republic in preserving its sovereignty and territorial integrity," the ministry said.
The Saudi foreign ministry also deplored Colombia's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, saying "this step contravenes international law and relevant resolutions of international legitimacy."
"The Kingdom affirms that this recognition is a clear violation of relevant United Nations resolutions, particularly UN Security Council Resolution 497 of 1981," which deemed Israel's imposition of its laws and administration on the Golan "null and void and without international legal effect," the ministry added.
"Such positions do not contribute to achieving peace," Riyadh stressed, adding that they "depart from the longstanding international position" on the Golan and "entrench the logic of imposing fait accompli."
Similarly worded statements were also issued by Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, and Qatar, as well as the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
