Trump: The Golan is worth trillions of dollars… I sold the rights of the Golan to Israel!
US President Donald Trump expressed pride in the decision he made during his tenure to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, describing the region as having tremendous economic value estimated at trillions of dollars, saying: “I sold the rights of the Golan to Israel”.
Trump’s remarks came during his celebration of Hanukkah at the White House, where he reviewed a series of steps he has taken in support of Israel, stressing that he is the president who has recognized its sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which has been occupied since 1967.
In his speech, Trump said that he signed what he described as an agreement to transfer rights to the Golan Heights to Israel, after nearly seven decades of claims, considering that none of his predecessors had taken this step before him.
During his first term, on March 25, 2019, Trump signed a presidential declaration formally recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington at the time.
On the other hand, in December, the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its thanks and appreciation to the countries that supported and voted in favor of the resolution “Syrian Golan” adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in New York on December 3, 2025, while paying special tribute to the countries that have changed their positions compared to previous years.
The UN resolution calls on Israel to withdraw completely from the occupied Syrian Golan until the June 4, 1967 line, affirms the principle that land cannot be seized by force, and rejects the legitimacy of Israeli settlements and other Israeli activities in the area.
It also notes Israel’s non-compliance with Security Council resolution 497 and considers the continued occupation and the imposition of a fait accompli to the achievement of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region.
