I agree with #26 We need more land, we can't get it from the Mediterranean Sea, we must hold whatever we have and in case there is an aggression and win some land we must not return it. Gaza people are aggressive; since they start the trouble, we just lost won land to Lebanon; we might soon get another chance to expand Golan occupation. Egypt is showing signs of breaching agreement. Two countries beyond; Iran is flexing its mussels; she has vast land. We are winning land by our might and loosing many of our fine young people and every time loosing it on UN table. Our army is tough; politicians are loose! Where are the tough guys?

israel will never peacefully give back the golan. it depends too much on the water resource. this is its real security issue. no water from jordan watershed = a very diminished israel!

Good deal for both sides.

Makes me wonder if they really want Israeli or Syrian citizenship. If its Syrian, go to Syria and leave Golan. If its Israeli, live as full Israeli citizens. I understand there is a problem with visiting relatives, but dont complain to Israel. Its Syria who refuses to make peace with Israel. Protest to Syria to make peace with Israel and then it can be a normal border and you can visit just like any other country with normalized relations.

Golan heights is and will always be part of Israel.So if you Druze and Syrians don't like it, feel free to move to Syria.You contribute nothing to society except terrorism and your leaving can only be a gain for the state of Israel

Marcel, stop drinking the Koolaid it seems hazardous to your mental health. Khaled, At least get your facts straight ! Israel took nothing. Syria opened a nothern front and attacked ( Six Day War 1967 from the Golan). They lost, while it is not OK to take land in a war of aggression , because it rewards the aggressor. But when the aggessor ( Syria in this case ) loses , it is OK to take and keep land for your defense to punish those who would provoke war. Hezbollah , read above it applies to your simplistic outlook .

Olmert is selling Israel out when will this end.

but so that the Syrians let their family in Syria come to the border fence so that they can see each other. It's kinda of an open secret.

The whole land of Canaan belongs to the Jews, and that includes the Golan Heights, West Bank, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and everything up to the Medo-Persian border. And when Mesiach comes back, it will all go back to Israel. The landlord is gonna get his land back and kick out the intruders. Good job God!!!!!!!!!!!!

If Syria had won the war in 1967 and right now Israel was under Syrian control what would Assad be saying to the jews who were protesting return our country to us .... WINNER TAKES ALL would be the Syrian attitude we fought a war you put up a good fight but in the end Syria won and so we get Israel nothing personal but Israel belongs to us now so jews you can either live under Syrian rule or we will let you pack your bags and move to some other part of the world. Its allways one rule for the arabs another one for Israel if Syria won Israeli territory and Israel wanted peace the attidutde would be sure you can have peace but it must be peace for the sake of peace not territory. When Israel starts talking about peace it allways lets the arabs dicate the terms of that peace. Israel might have the strongest army in the region but its politicians are some of the worst negotiators in the world and unfortunatly the arabs know how to turn it to their advantage. If the IDF is getting a makeover so it can deal with future threats because it screwed up in Lebannon how about give priority to Israels politicans teach them negotiating skills and being tough so they dont give away the whole country for the sake of a promise of peace whatever form it may come in.

I'm sorry Sam, Mark and others... but Golan is occupied territory. Occupation is when one country forcefully takes control of another country's land and that's always illegal no matter who "started it". What you're talking about is when a country losing a war cedes land to the victor as part of a peace treaty, e.g. Versailles treaties to end WW I and WW II. There's no treaty signed between Israel and Syria that says Golan now belongs to Israel, because Syria and Israel are still in a state of war (not a very active one, but it's still war). And this war is gonna end sooner or later, either with you pounding Syria into submission and forcing them to sign off the Golan to you, or by having Syria kick you out, by diplomacy or guerilla tactics. But don't think that Golan is already part of Israel, because this simply isn't true.

The UN says the Golan Heights belongs to Syria. Syria says it belongs to Lebanon. See - even the countries involved don't know which country claims it. The most important thing is - the land was won by Israel during a war and to the victor go the spoils. When you own something, you make it clear to everyone it is yours and there is no room for negotiation. It's an all or nothing type of thing, but don't play games.

Under UN resolution 242 Israel is not obliged to return even 1 inch of the Golan unless its return for a recognisng Israel and in return for JUST AND LASTING PEACE... a negotiated peace thats more than just empty promises from Assad. This resolution also calls for a return of TERITORIES not ALL territory the UN especialy worded the resolution this way because they never expected Israel to make a full withdraw to the pre war borders because they understood these borders were not secure and you dont simply tell an aggresor you attacked Israel captured land from you but Israel must simply return every inch of it to you no strings attached. If that was the UN had said then there would be nothing to stop Israel launching a future war .. lost the last war and some land but got the land back after the war was over now I will send a stronger army and try again to destroy Israel. Unless both sides agree to a negotiated settlement that leads to peace then Israel is legal occupier of the Golan. Also today the jews make up the majority of the population in the Golan .. there are about 30 thousand druze who live peacefully with 35 thousand jews many employed by the jews. The Golan is not simply like the Gaza solution of removing 8000 jews from the middle of hostile territory occupied by over 1 million enemies. Here the jews live in peace with their naighbors and they form the majority of the population. Water from the Golan also flows into the kineret, in the past Havez Assad tried to physicly alter the course of the water flow so it didnt go to Israel. Millions of dollars are earned every year by Israel from Golan products, there are early warning stations and many other things. The Golan today is more like any other Israeli town unrecognisble from the Syrian minefield it was before 1967. Along with Jerusalem the Golan has also been formely been anexed by Israel and any agreement must be based on a Knesset majority vote of around 60% and if that is achived then the final decision must be decided by the Israeli public through a referendum, The Golan is not occupied territory its LIBERATED territory once part of the jewish Kingdom of Israel, was promised to the jews unbder the Balfour Decleration untill the British illigaly traded it with France. A large part of the Golan is also territory purchased for the early zionists so this is land that legaly belongs to jews.

Khaled . As you correctly pointed out Syria stills considers itself at war with Israel . Which illustrate why Israel can't even consider giving the Golan up. In fact it does matter who "started it". Thoughout time immemorial when countries ( i.e. Syria, Jordon, Egypt etc..) wage war to conquer and destroy another country/people. There must be consequences when they lose. Now Egypt and Jordon sat down and cut a deal. Since Israel through deeds and action have proved their honor the onus is on Syria to sit down and talk peace without any pre-conditions.

Khaled, Syrian occupation of Golan was illegal. Britain ceded the area to France by the secret Sykes-Picot agreement. Golan belonged to the original Mandate which was a legal administrator. Furthermore, Syria repeatedly used the area to attack Israel. Syria started several wars and lost all of them. This has consequences: Golan is Israeli and shall be forever. Addendum: a lection in history is useful to you. Since thousands of years you find Israeli sites allover Golan. Arabs in the area are newcomers.

Israel would say arabs, and vice versa. Every one has his reasons for waging war. Who is right and who is wrong; no trial has been made. So, Noone knows who is right and who is wrong' but every one knows that grabbing land by force is wrong. Israel would not lack execuses to keep grabbed land in its hands. Next time, Israel would say "I know I am wrong for land grabbing, but this is a de facto situation and as a tiny contry I have the right to secure myself" Haven't you heard from the other side ?!

The first principal upon which UN was made is to prevent a country from grabbing others' land by force.

Arabs started the wars and tried plus try to grab Israeli soil. Intellectual honesty would suit you. So, don't try with disinformation anymore.

Think we could count on them? Danny www.samsonblinded.org

Golan was added to the french mandate during the 1923 Sykes-Picot agreement. It has now a jewish majority population. Stop clutching to colonial fake frontiers: e.g.Morocco took over West Sahara. This ignited an artificial war. Please do respect peoples' self determination, as most states in the UN are not national entities.

isn't Israel the unilaterally declared inheritor of the English mandate! at least, you will save the americans so much trouble.