Blinken stops short of endorsing Trump recognition of Golan Heights as Israeli

Blinken tells CNN that plateau on Syrian border is vital to Israel's security that is at further risk from Assad regime and presence of Iran-backed militias in area; says he is certain Biden and Netanyahu will have occasion to speak soon
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday stopped short of endorsing the Trump administration’s recognition of the Golan Heights as part of Israel, instead noting that the territory was important for Israel’s security.
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    • Former president Donald Trump officially granted U.S. recognition of the Golan as Israeli territory in 2019 - a dramatic shift from decades of U.S. policy. Israel captured the Golan from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed it in 1981 in a move that is not recognized internationally.
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    אנתוני בלינקן    אנתוני בלינקן
    U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken
    (Photo: Reuters)
    “As a practical matter, the control of the Golan in that situation I think remains of real importance to Israel’s security,” Blinken told CNN.
    “Legal questions are something else and over time if the situation were to change in Syria, that’s something we look at, but we are nowhere near that," he said.
    He added that Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government as well as the presence of militia groups backed by Iran pose a "significant security threat" to Israel.
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    מובלעת ישראלית בגבול ישראל-סוריה, צפון רמת הגולן    מובלעת ישראלית בגבול ישראל-סוריה, צפון רמת הגולן
    An IDF soldier on the Israeli-Syrian border on the Golan Heights in January
    (Photo: Yoav Zitun)
    Biden’s advisers had said previously that he would not withdraw U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan.
    Blinken also reiterated the Biden administration’s commitment to keep the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, after the Trump administration recognized the city as the capital of Israel, reversing previous U.S. policy.
    Trump was broadly in lockstep on Middle East policy with his closest ally in the region, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
    Biden and his team have said they will restore ties with the Palestinians that were cut by Trump, resume aid and reject unilateral actions, such as construction of Israeli settlements on occupied territory.
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    ארכיון 2010 ג'ו ביידן אז סגן נשיא ארה"ב עם אבו מאזן ב רמאללה    ארכיון 2010 ג'ו ביידן אז סגן נשיא ארה"ב עם אבו מאזן ב רמאללה
    Then-U.S. vice president Joe Biden with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during their meeting in Ramallah in 2010
    (Photo: AP)
    Biden’s failure to speak with Netanyahu so far among his calls with foreign leaders has raised eyebrows in Israel and among Middle East experts.
    Obama and Trump both spoke to him within days of taking office.
    When asked why Biden has not spoken with Netanyahu, Blinken said: “I’m sure that they’ll have occasion to speak in the near future.”
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    6.
    bibi and lapid
    every third word coming out lapid's mouth is concession whetting the appetite of Israel's enemies. only a shmuck like olmert and his disciple lapid could conceive of such concession. look at the bloody map, you imbeciles. not surprising both of them know nothing about idf combat. now you have blinken hedging on golan. without golan, there is no Israel, assurances mean zilch period. Israel has to stop apologizing and be more resolute. if it is a choice between bibi and lapid, bibi with all of his hesitations is far more preferable than the lapid gang, as if peace is around the corner. gantz is part of the lapid gang so he deserves no special support. who runs around bragging that he blocked annexation as if Israel has so much spare room. his record on gaza war was anemic. israelis-wake up before you end up once again on death marches. do not give up the high ground and the gun. israelis should wake up and vote bennett, saar and barkat or balance of likud. enough of this chamberlain positioning.
    harry| 02.09.21
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    5.
    WHY ?
    Why does Israel place such importance in the opinions of people such as Anthony Blinken ,who are pretty much here today and gone tomorrow? but the Golan is forever . Israel paid for the Golan with the blood of thousands of its soldiers and it is strategically vitally important for the security of Israel and is also part of ancient Eretz Israel. This is written with all due respect to Secretary of State Blinken who does a fine job ,but he does not have to potentially suffer the consequences of his decisions as Israel does. And let the US give away some of its territory before it preaches and lectures Israel.
    Mr CYNIC| 02.09.21
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    4.
    Blinken and you'll miss it
    Mr CYNIC| 02.09.21
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