The Syrian President: I joked with Trump about the Golan... and he categorically refused to give it up

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa said in New York that US President Donald Trump supported Syria and issued a historic decision to lift sanctions on Syria, noting that he joked with him, during a visit to the White House, about Trump’s recognition of the Golan Heights.

Al-Sharaa explained, during a dialogue session hosted by the Atlantic Council in New York, yesterday, Tuesday, that he said to the American president: “Why do you give them the Golan Heights and not give them New Jersey?!” You do not own the Golan Heights to give to Israel, but you own New Jersey!” He pointed out that New Jersey is a democratic state and does not elect President Trump.

Al-Sharaa added that the Golan “returns to its people,” and no president has the right to grant or give it up, according to what was reported by the German News Agency.

President Al-Sharaa affirmed, in previous positions and statements, Syria’s adherence to its right to the occupied Golan, and its refusal to give it up.

American recognition... and European rejection

During his first term in March 2019, President Trump signed a declaration of formal US recognition of Israel’s “sovereignty” over the occupied Golan. At the time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the annexation of the Golan to Israel as “historic.”

On December 14, 1981, the Israeli Knesset approved the “Golan Law” to “impose Israeli law, judiciary, and administration on the Golan Heights,” which was rejected by the Syrians in the Golan. The international community also did not recognize the resolution, and the United Nations Security Council rejected it on December 17, 1981. United Nations documents refer to the Golan region as the “occupied Syrian Golan.”

On October 15, 2025, Al-Sharaa confirmed, in an interview with CBS News, that the Golan is Syrian territory occupied since 1967, and that its recovery is a legitimate right that Syria seeks, in accordance with international law and United Nations resolutions, while adhering to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

On July 26, 2026, President Al-Sharaa reaffirmed that any security agreement with Israel does not mean giving up Syria’s right to the occupied Golan.

In August of this year, the far-right Colombian government recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Syrian Golan Heights, which it occupied in 1967, in a move that the Syrian government condemned as a "flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter." Several Arab countries also condemned the decision. Most notably Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

The European Union renewed its refusal to recognize the so-called “Israeli sovereignty” over the occupied Syrian Golan, affirming its commitment to international law and Security Council Resolutions 242 and 497, and calling for respect for the buffer zone and the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, and Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

Regarding the repeated Israeli attacks and security challenges, Al-Sharaa explained that Israel continues its repeated attacks, and continues to occupy part of the Syrian lands that it advanced to a week after the fall of the former regime, and also continues its incursions, arrests, and repeated bombings, stressing that peace with Israel cannot be achieved under the occupation of Syrian lands, and that restoring Syrian rights is a condition for achieving lasting peace in the region.

Al-Sharaa stated that Syria, for its part, made a diplomatic choice and resorted to dialogue and the assistance of friendly countries, including the United States, noting that several sessions and rounds of discussion were held with Israel, but it withdrew from the agreement due to certain circumstances concerning it, stressing that Syria is still involved in this path, and hopes to reach a result as soon as possible.

The Syrian President confirmed, according to what was reported by the Syrian News Agency, SANA, that the direct dialogue with Israel began about a year or more ago, and that the first phase focused on the area in which Israel advanced after December 8, indicating that the dialogue was based on Israel’s return to the 1974 borders and a security agreement.

He added that if the security agreement succeeds, Syria may engage in a long-term discussion on the issue of permanent peace and the Golan, stressing that the Golan is Syrian land, and that according to the latest vote in the United Nations, more than 130 countries supported that it is Syrian land, and there is no discussion or debate about the affiliation of this land.

Al-Sharaa continued: “There are Israeli concerns that are being discussed, but not everything Israel does justifies these concerns,” stressing the necessity of having an international committee that supervises Israeli concerns and evaluates what is serious and what is not real. So that the region does not enter into a spiral of conflicts and wars over unclear concerns and fears

Al-Sharaa considered that Israel’s definition of its policies towards Syria, based on what happened in Gaza, is a wrong path. Because exaggerating fears brings risks, and whoever wants to maintain his security must respect the security of others, pointing out that Israeli policies at this time do not bring security to the Israeli citizen; Because it provokes conflicts and wars and always keeps Israeli society in danger.