The area referred to as the Golan Heights is a mountainous region bordering Syria, Israel, Jordan and Lebanon. The Golan was governed by Syria until it was seized by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967 and was placed under military administration from 1967 to 1981. Israel currently controls 2/3 of the area as a portion was returned to Syria following the Yom Kippor War of 1973. Construction of Jewish settlements by the Israeli government began in the 1970s in this area and in 1981, Israel enacted the Golan Heights Law placing it under civilian Israeli law, administration, and jurisdiction. The Golan Heights Law has been condemned and remains unrecognized by the international community. Israel uses UN Resolution 242, created on November 22, 1967, to defend its actions, labeling the Golan Heights as part of the Israeli occupied territories.
Syria continues to demand that their land be returned. In 2006, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution requesting that Israel end its occupation of the Golan while simultaneously rendering all legislative and administrative actions taken by Israel in the Golan to be illegal, invalid, and nonexistent (resolutions 267 and 497). Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the international community also finds the settlements in the Golan Heights to be illegal and these sentiments are supported by UN Security council resolutions 446, 452, 465, 471 and 476. Any action on the part of Israel to withdraw its control over the area remains to be seen.
In addition to it's hills, valleys, fresh water and vegetative landscape, the Golan Heights is scattered with prehistoric sites including Hellenistic towns, Roman fortresses and Crusader castles. Some sites are more mysterious in nature and have purposes that are still unknown to modern society.
The Golan was also the sight where Jesus stopped to contemplate before undertaking his final journey to Jerusalem. The birth of three of Jesus' disciples, the miracle of the Gadarene Swine, the healing of the blind man, the second miracle of the loaves and the fishes and the transfiguration as well as where Jesus gave Peter the stewardship of the kingdom of God, were all biblical events said to have taken place at this cite.
Syria continues to demand that their land be returned. In 2006, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution requesting that Israel end its occupation of the Golan while simultaneously rendering all legislative and administrative actions taken by Israel in the Golan to be illegal, invalid, and nonexistent (resolutions 267 and 497). Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the international community also finds the settlements in the Golan Heights to be illegal and these sentiments are supported by UN Security council resolutions 446, 452, 465, 471 and 476. Any action on the part of Israel to withdraw its control over the area remains to be seen.
In addition to it's hills, valleys, fresh water and vegetative landscape, the Golan Heights is scattered with prehistoric sites including Hellenistic towns, Roman fortresses and Crusader castles. Some sites are more mysterious in nature and have purposes that are still unknown to modern society.
The Golan was also the sight where Jesus stopped to contemplate before undertaking his final journey to Jerusalem. The birth of three of Jesus' disciples, the miracle of the Gadarene Swine, the healing of the blind man, the second miracle of the loaves and the fishes and the transfiguration as well as where Jesus gave Peter the stewardship of the kingdom of God, were all biblical events said to have taken place at this cite.
No comments:
Post a Comment