Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa joked that US President Donald Trump should give New Jersey to Israel instead of the Golan Heights, while reaffirming Syria’s position on the disputed territory.
Al-Sharaa made the remarks on Tuesday, September 22, during an Atlantic Council discussion in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He was asked about Trump’s recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
Recalling a conversation with Trump during his visit to the White House, al-Sharaa said he told the US president, “Why don’t you give New Jersey to the Israelis?”
He explained that Trump did not own the Golan Heights, while New Jersey was part of the United States. Al-Sharaa also joked that the state had many Democratic voters who did not support Trump.
Al-Sharaa said the comparison was made in jest, but stressed that the Golan Heights belonged to its people and that neither the Syrian nor US president had the right to give the territory to another country.
Syria-Israel talks
Al-Sharaa said Syria remained committed to negotiations with Israel, claiming that previous direct talks had reached about 90 per cent of an agreement before stalling.
He said Damascus wanted Israel to withdraw from territory it occupied after the fall of Syria’s previous government and return to the positions held under the 1974 arrangements before moving towards broader security agreements.
He added that Syria would continue pursuing diplomacy while seeking to address security concerns through negotiations.
Golan Heights dispute
Israel captured most of the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 war and extended its laws, jurisdiction and administration over the territory in 1981.
UN Security Council Resolution 497 declared the move “null and void” and without international legal effect. The United Nations continues to refer to the area as the occupied Syrian Golan.
Trump recognised Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019, departing from the longstanding US position on the territory.
