Center for American Progress

STATEMENT: Shift on Golan Heights Is a Blatant Political Move, CAP’s Neera Tanden Says
Press Statement

STATEMENT: Shift on Golan Heights Is a Blatant Political Move, CAP’s Neera Tanden Says

Washington, D.C. — After President Donald Trump abruptly declared that the United States will recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights, Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:

The president’s unilateral decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights is a blatant political move to boost the chances of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israeli elections and earn political points here at home. Unfortunately, it could actually destabilize the region, isolate the United States, and diminish the chances of Arab-Israeli peace even further. Yet again, President Trump is conducting policy by tweet without explaining how this move fits into a broader strategy, consulting with allies and partners, or even briefing the U.S. Congress. Today, President Trump expanded his political stunts by tweeting that the Democratic Party is anti-Israel and anti-Jewish. That is not only absurd and divisive but also a dangerous game that tries to use the American Jewish community as a pawn and treats anti-Semitism as a political weapon. This is a foreign policy out of control.

For more information or to talk to an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected] or 202-478-6327.