Brussels, Aug. 12 (SANA) The European Union does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan and continues to support Syria’s independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, an EU spokesperson told SANA on Wednesday.
“In line with international law and UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 497, the EU does not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan,” the spokesperson said.
The EU also called on Israel to respect the demilitarized buffer zone and uphold the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement.
“The EU calls on Israel to respect the demilitarized buffer zone and to uphold the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement,” the spokesperson said.
The bloc reiterated its support for the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which monitors the Syrian Golan Heights, and recalled the importance of UN Security Council Resolution 497 of 1981.
The spokesperson stressed the EU’s support for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying: “The EU calls on Israel to respect Syria’s independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity within secure borders.”
The EU also called on Israel to avoid actions that could undermine respect for UN Security Council Resolutions 497 (1981) and 2799 (2025).
On regional tensions, the spokesperson said the EU “urges all actors to exercise maximum restraint, to avoid any further violence, and to uphold international law, including international humanitarian law.”
The bloc also reaffirmed its support for diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation in the region, including dialogue between Syria and Israel.
Syria on Tuesday strongly condemned a statement issued by Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Aug. 10, 2026, recognizing what it called “Israeli sovereignty” over the occupied Syrian Golan, reaffirming that the Golan is an integral part of Syrian territory.
The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 497 in December 1981, declaring Israel’s decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan “null and void and without international legal effect” and demanding that Israel rescind the measure.
In Resolution 2799, adopted in November 2025, the Security Council reaffirmed its commitment to full respect for Syria’s sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity.
R.A/ABD
