Liberman says Golan will stay in Israeli hands

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman toured the Golan Heights Tuesday and said that the territory would stay in Israeli hands, calling it non-negotiable under a Likud-Yisrael Beytenu government.

The alliance of Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu party and the Likud was approved Monday by the Likud Central Committee.

“The Israeli Law, which applies to the Golan Heights, has been in place since the days of former prime minister Menachem Begin, which means the Golan Heights are like Tel Aviv or Holon,” he said, according to Ynet.

Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 war, and subsequently extended Israeli law to the area.

Liberman also cited the ongoing violent situation in Syria as support for Israel’s retention of the Heights.

As part of the agreement with Liberman for the Likud and Yisrael Beytenu to run together in January’s elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly pledged not to relinquish the Golan Heights in any negotiations with Syria.

Yifa Yaakov contributed to this report.