Europe

The Golan Heights

By Clark Boyd ⋅ June 30, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

You can see a full photo slideshow of Matthew Bell’s visit to the Golan Heights here.

Discussion

4 comments for “The Golan Heights”

  • Pam Crown

    Your story on the Golan Heights lists lands that Israel seized in 1967 but fails to mention that these lands were seized during a war that started when Israel was attacked by its neighbors.
    Let me say that I believe that these lands should be returned, but in the interest of full reporting, how Israel came to take these territories should have be included in your story.

  • Carol Klein

    These territories were occupied after Syria shelled Israeli villages, Egypt mobilized for war (moved 100,000 troops to the Israel border, closed the Strait of Tiran, and signed a pact with Jordan) leading to a preemptive strike by Israel. Background details were assiduously and obviously omitted during this program. NPR should be ashamed!

  • Sam

    You should always mention the real facts about how Israel had become the occupier of these lands. The Golan height was taken after the Syrian open war on Israel along with Egypt. That’s when Israel also concurs the Sinai desert, which have been returned to the Egyptians after reaching a peace agreement.

    What you never mention was, that the west bank has been occupied form Jordan, and the Gaza Strip form Egypt. Now those two countries never wanted it back, that is the troth of how the Palestinian have become what they are now, a “no land people”
    And the world fails to understand, what is the Palestinian problem. It is not just about Israel being the occupant of these territories but also those neighboring countries e.g. Egypt and Jordan whom abandoned them.

  • Savta Klavta

    That’s right: the most peaceful border for decades. Until 1967 Syrians shelled Israeli agricultural villages and towns from the Golan Heights. In 1967, attacked by all 3 Arab neighbors, Israel captured Golan Heights. In 1973, on the most solemn of Jewish holidays, Yom Kippur, Syrians attacked in an attempt to get the Heights back. Luckily they didn’t succeed. As the result, Israeli agricultural villages and towns had not been shelled from above. Since 1973, Arabs, Druz and Jews have lived in peace for a generation, while enjoying the benefits of free enterprise. Syrian dictators, with their pride and stifling economic control, may go on sucking their thumbs for another generation.

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