ABSTRACT
The Golan Heights comprise an upland area which provides a natural boundary between Israel and Syria. During the 1967 war with its Arab neighbours, Israel occupied a part of the Golan Heights, effectively moving the boundary some 20 km eastwards. The interim status of the occupied strip of Golan was established in a disengagement agreement made with Syria in May 1974. The inclusion of the Golan Heights in the Occupied Territories has provided Israel with a military buffer zone against Syria and a location from which to control the headwaters of the River Jordan. Between 1992 and 1996, Israel tried to transform Israeli-Syrian relations and find an accommodation. However, the advent of Benjamin Netanyahu to the Israeli premiership in 1996 brought negotiations to an end. Syria remains highly influential in its control over Hezbollah, an Islamic guerrilla group which has periodically caused chaos in Israel.
