Trump wants Golan Heights Israeli

President Donald Trump sent another tweet Thursday that shocked world politics, this time saying that the U.S should fully recognize Golan Heights as Israeli territory.

Golan Heights was seized by Israel from Syria at the end of the 1967 Six-Day War. For the following 52 years the U.S. has taken a neutral stance on who rightfully owns the disputed land. So why would President Trump make such a claim?

“Trump is steering Israel’s election towards a Netanyahu victory (Israeli prime minister) and boosting his evangelical and republican bases,” said Aaron David Miller, Middle East program director at the Wilson Center.

But while Trump may stand to gain some voters in his 2020 reelection campaign and create a strong political ally, his words are divisive, divisive within U.S. politics and within U.S. Middle East relations.

“The decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over land it seized from another state in war would make George H. W. Bush turn over in his grave,” said Gordon Adams, professor emeritus at American University who has worked closely with U.S foreign policy and national security. “The change,” he continued, “will only exacerbate tension and conflict, further destabilizing regional security.”

The tweet is yet another sign of President Trump’s allegiance to Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israel, further splintering U.S. relations with other Middle East nations.

“Donald Trump” Miller said, “is becoming the most pro-Israeli president in history.”

Adams expressed similar concerns when he said President Trump and his administration are “withdrawing from the ‘honest broker’ role” that previous administrations had enacted and are “taking sides with the Netanyahu regime.”

If the U.S were to actually recognize Golan Heights as Israeli territory it would take more than just a tweet, but President Trump does have the authority to make it happen.

Chris Edelson, assistant professor at American University’s department of government, said, “there are a few plans of action the president could take, he could take unilateral presidential action or if possible, get congress’ approval, but approval is not necessary.”

The precedent was set for such action when the Supreme Court ruled the president could determine whether or not Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, giving the executive branch more clear control over U.S. foreign policy.

While many of the president’s tweets do not come to fruition their words alone carry weight. According to Miller, the tweet stands as, “a unilateral act that undermines all of U.S. politics and sets a bad precedent of trying to legally recognize annexed areas … which would allow, for instance, Putin to be validated in his own annexations such as Crimea.”

President Trump may have nothing to lose by making these comments, but comments still come as a shock.