US officials maintain Golan Heights is ‘part of northern Israel’ after Hezbollah rocket attack on Majdal Shams

US continues to recognize crucial status of Golan Heights for Israeli security

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In the past few days, White House and Biden administration officials have confirmed that the Golan Heights is part of northern Israel in statements made after the Hezbollah rocket attack that killed 12 Israeli children in the Druze village of Majdal Shams on Saturday.

On Sunday, U.S. National Security Council Spokeswoman Adrienne Watson released a statement condemning the Hezbollah attacks.

“We have been in continuous discussions with Israeli and Lebanese counterparts since the horrific attack yesterday in northern Israel that killed a number of children playing soccer,” Watson stated.

She also confirmed the Biden administration’s assessment that the rocket was launched by Hezbollah.

“This attack was conducted by Lebanese Hezbollah. It was their rocket, and launched from an area they control,” she continued. "It should be universally condemned.”

While U.S. National Security Advisor John Kirby did not initially specify that the attack took place in "northern Israel" during his statements on Monday, he was directly questioned by NPR reporter Asthma Khalid.

“Is that the administration’s official policy, that the Golan Heights is recognized as part of northern Israel?” she asked.

“Our policy on the Golan Heights has not changed under this administration,” Kirby responded, before noting that the U.S. recognizes the Golan Heights' crucial status to Israeli security.

In addition, Kirby referenced the Trump administration's decision to recognize the Golan Heights in March 2019.

“Aggressive acts by Iran and terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, in southern Syria, continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks on Israel,” he quoted, saying the recent attack was evidence of this

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has been under increasing scrutiny regarding her stance toward Israel following President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the presidential campaign.

On Sunday, Harris' national security advisor, Philip Gordon, made a statement on 𝕏 following the Majdal Sham rocket attacks. He also referred to the attack on “northern Israel.”

.@VP has been briefed and is closely monitoring Hezbollah’s horrific attack on a soccer field in Majdal Shams in northern Israel yesterday which killed a number of children and teenagers. She condemns this horrific attack and mourns for all those killed and wounded.
— Phil Gordon (@PhilGordon46) July 28, 2024

Political analysts are closely monitoring statements by Gordon following Harris' assumption of the Democratic Party candidacy, given his role in the administration of former U.S. President Barack Obama.

Gordon stepped down from his position under Obama in 2015 but remained a staunch supporter of the Iranian nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which Israel opposes.

Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) CEO Mark Dubowitz, who participated in several public debates on the JCPOA with Gordon in 2015, referred to him as “Obama redux.”

“I think he’s very much on the progressive wing of the national security continuum,” Dubowitz said.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and unilaterally annexed the territory in 1981. This annexation was not internationally recognized until Trump acknowledged Israeli control over the region in 2019.

The United Nations General Assembly annually calls on Israel to return the territory to Syria.