Colombia's recognition of the Golan Heights must be turned into a diplomatic campaign
Whoever recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel — a more complex recognition — moved an embassy there, or adopted an exceptional position in our favor, is the natural target audience for the next campaign. Alongside the blessing, it must be said: Israel was late to understand that international recognition of its sovereignty on the Golan is not a declarative or symbolic matter, but a strategic goal of the highest order.
Colombia's decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty on the Golan Heights is an important diplomatic achievement, and it is worthy to bless it and those who worked on it. For the first time since the American recognition in 2019, another country is joining and recognizing the reality that has prevailed on the ground for about six decades and the fact that only Israeli control on the heights ensures stability, security, and prosperity in an area that was previously full of threats. Colombia is the second, and it must not be the last.
However, alongside the blessing, it must be said: Israel was late to understand that international recognition of its sovereignty on the Golan is not a declarative or symbolic matter, but a strategic goal of the highest order. All the more so after the 'unification of Syria' under the rule of Al-Sharaa.
In April 2025, PM Benjamin Netanyahu visited Hungary and met with the then-president of Hungary, Viktor Orban, perhaps the most distinct friend Israel had in the European Union. This was an exceptional window of opportunity. Israel should have arrived in Budapest when Hungarian recognition of sovereignty on the Golan was at the top of the diplomatic agenda. The recognition was not achieved, it is doubtful if it appeared on the list of issues raised. The question is not who is to blame, but why the issue was not prioritized and what can be learned from this so as not to miss historical opportunities again.
Another missed opportunity
So it was also with the President of Argentina, Javier Milei, one of the greatest friends of Israel in the world. Last April, Israel, rightly, invested efforts and great respect in his visit and in his being the first foreign leader to light a torch on Independence Day. But alongside the impressive symbolism, a strategic issue should have been raised: a true friend of the Jewish people must recognize the reality created on the Golan and understand that Israel's sovereignty on the Golan is the only formula to ensure security and stability.
The greater missed opportunity occurred around the rise of Al-Sharaa's regime in Syria. Western countries rushed to open doors for him, to grant legitimacy to his government, and to ease sanctions. The USA removed the broad sanctions regime on Syria. Israel should have already set an equation for its friends: recognition of the new regime in exchange for recognition of our sovereignty on the Golan. That is, if you are strengthening the new regime in Damascus and adopting the principle of "Syria's territorial integrity," do not leave within this formula, implicitly, the Golan Heights as well. Recognition of the new regime should have been a lever for fixing the exclusion of the Golan from the Syrian claim, not a move happening without diplomatic consideration for Israel. By the way, even Al-Sharaa himself would have accepted this, even if through gritted teeth.
Such a move was required, directly vis-a-vis the allies or indirectly with American assistance. The USA, which recognized Israel's sovereignty on the Golan, invested diplomatic capital in strengthening the new Syria and returning it to the family of nations. Israel should have asked it to exert its influence on its allies: whoever receives an American green light to get closer to Damascus will be asked simultaneously to recognize the irreversible reality on the Golan.
Setting clear goals
It seems that now the 'penny is finally dropping'. The rapprochement between Ankara and Damascus and the explicit Syrian insistence on the Golan are causing the Israeli government to understand, with a delay, that we are heading into a diplomatic trap that Israel might yet encounter in full force in the coming years.
These are only part of the processes that make the threat of a demand for an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan more tangible. As the Syrian regime establishes itself, voices will increase that will seek to "complete" the rehabilitation of Syria by raising the Golan question again.
In light of these, Israel must manage a diplomatic campaign to strengthen international recognition of its sovereignty on the Golan. Better late than never. Israel needs to set clear goals in the form of countries where there is currently a political and diplomatic infrastructure that is particularly convenient for a move of recognizing Israel's sovereignty on the Golan. A similar logic should be applied to the countries that have already shown 'diplomatic courage' on the Jerusalem issue. Whoever recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a more complex recognition (since it has religious components), moved an embassy there, or adopted an exceptional position in favor of Israel, is the natural target audience. Argentina, Paraguay, Honduras, Guatemala, Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Serbia are countries with which an Israeli and American dialogue must be conducted immediately in this context.
After almost 60 years of Israeli control on the Golan, the time has come to turn the reality on the ground into a diplomatic reality as well. Colombia proved that it is possible. Now we need to turn a single achievement into a critical mass.
