In a surprising move, the new Syrian government published an official map of the country that no longer includes the Golan Heights, a mountainous region in southwestern Syria
This area was captured by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967 and later formally annexed by the country in 1981. For decades, Syria has always considered the Golan Heights part of its territory and demanded their return in any peace talks.
The updated map appeared on December 19, 2025, posted by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on official social media.
It was also used by the state-run newspaper *Al Thawra Al Souria*.
On the map, Syria’s borders end east of the Golan Heights, leaving the region out, which in practice acknowledges Israeli control over the area.
This change comes after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024 and the arrival of a new leadership in the country, headed by President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The map was released along with celebrations for the repeal, by the United States Congress, of the sanctions known as the Caesar Act against Syria.
Syrian opposition groups, such as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (based in London), criticized the decision.
They stated that the new map is identical to the one used by the Israeli government and represents a “total surrender” to the demands of Israel and the United States.
For now, Israel has not made any official comments on the map.
The Golan Heights region is very important for Israeli security because of its elevated position, which helps monitor movements in Syria and Lebanon.
Most of the international community still considers the Golan Heights as Syrian territory occupied by Israel, with the exception of the United States, which recognized Israeli sovereignty in 2019, during the Trump administration.
This change to the map may indicate an attempt by the new Syrian government to improve relations with Israel and the West, amid negotiations for stability in the region.
However, the issue continues to generate much controversy and debate in the Middle East.
Published in 12/23/2025 10h29
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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