---

 [ SAY WHAT? ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=376)

#  Syrian Ambassador: Trump Should Give Israel the Carolinas, Instead of Syria’s Golan

April 01 2019

Written by Juan Cole.

<a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a><a class="a2a_button_print"></a>[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)

 ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2019/027p.png)

**INTEL REPORT**--[Syria’s envoy to the United Nations](https://www.masrawy.com/news/news_publicaffairs/details/2019/3/28/1540121/-%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%85%D9%86%D8%AD-%D8%A3%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%83%D8%A7-%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A7-%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%D9%84-%D8%AA%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%8A%D9%84-%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%86), Bashar Jaafari, lambasted the Trump administration for recognizing the Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights.

He said that if Trump wanted to give somebody else’s territory to Israel, it should be North and South Carolina.

The United Nations Charter forbids the acquisition of territory by military force and insists on preserving the territorial integrity of the world’s states.

Israel conquered Syria’s Golan Heights in 1967, which, whatever Pm Binyamin Netanyahu might allege, was not a defensive war for Israel, since it launched the first attacks. It is not illegal for Israel to occupy the Heights until a peace treaty can be achieved between Israel and Syria, but it is illegal for Israel to simply permanently steal its neighbor’s land.

Jaafari said that the United States had completely ended any role for itself as a mediator in the region, and described Trump’s decision as “an illegal announcement issuing from the American president.” It was, he said, a mere unilateral pronouncement without any element of legality, and entirely lacking in moral force.

“The American administration,” he said, “should give up a state or two to the Israelis– for instance, South Carolina and North Carolina.”

Mr. Jaafari’s appeal to international law would be more convincing if the regime of which he is a part had not massacred, imprisoned and tortured tens of thousands of people since 2011. But this hypocrisy does not weaken his case against Trump’s actions. My kindergarten teacher taught us that two wrongs don’t make a right.

*(Juan Cole is an occasional contributor to CityWatch. He can be reached, and this piece originated at,* [*Informed Comment*](https://www.juancole.com/2019/03/americas-history-hysteria.html)*.)*

***-cw***

 [ ![LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20level%20pay%205-7-25.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)")

 ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png)

## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays &amp; Thursdays

 Message

 [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2")

 ---

##  Featured CityWatch Stories

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/a9/070g-a9407aaa.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33278:they-said-it-made-no-sense-then-they-voted-yes&catid=327)

### [They Said It Made No Sense. Then They Voted Yes.](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33278:they-said-it-made-no-sense-then-they-voted-yes&catid=327)

INVESTIGATIVE ANALYSIS - Sacramento has streamlined housing approvals so aggressively that residents rarely get a heari…

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/20/070h-20f29015.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33277:trump-world-from-assassination-abroad-to-chaos-at-home&catid=395)

### [Trump World. From Assassination Abroad to Chaos at Home](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33277:trump-world-from-assassination-abroad-to-chaos-at-home&catid=395)

GELFAND’S WORLD - We’re at a moment when all sorts of political questions are coming to a head. And if that old phrase…

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/4b/070i-4ba64015.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33283:newsoms-next-immigration-gamble-defy-federal-law-and-dare-washington-to-fight-back&catid=375)

### [Newsom’s Next Immigration Gamble: Defy Federal Law And Dare Washington To Fight Back](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33283:newsoms-next-immigration-gamble-defy-federal-law-and-dare-washington-to-fight-back&catid=375)

MY THOUGHTS - Gov. Gavin Newsom is about to decide whether California should take another extraordinary gamble with fed…

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/44/071d-441a7ed2.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33308:as-california-debated-sharing-data-on-drivers-homeland-security-subpoenaed-17-million-records&catid=425)

### [As California Debated Sharing Data On Drivers, Homeland Security Subpoenaed 17 Million Records](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33308:as-california-debated-sharing-data-on-drivers-homeland-security-subpoenaed-17-million-records&catid=425)

TECHNOLOGY - California lawmakers wrestled with a difficult question earlier this summer: Could the state safely share…

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/88/071n-88bb0b90.png) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33300:follow-the-money-how-does-a-3-662-apartment-become-affordable-housing&catid=312)

### [Follow the Money: How Does a $3,662 Apartment Become “Affordable Housing”?](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33300:follow-the-money-how-does-a-3-662-apartment-become-affordable-housing&catid=312)

INVESTIGATIVE ANALYSIS - ED 1 Is Redeveloping Los Angeles—One Neighborhood at a Time You know that persistent, annoyin…

---

##  [ SAY WHAT? ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=376)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Nov-2024/093p.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29907:oh-for-f-ks-sake&catid=376)### [Oh For F\*\*k's Sake](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29907:oh-for-f-ks-sake&catid=376)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Oct-2024/082n.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29692:a-monument-to-cruelty&catid=376)### [A Monument To Cruelty](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29692:a-monument-to-cruelty&catid=376)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Sept-2024/074i.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29532:omg-now-theyre-coming-for-our-cats-and-chairs-and-ducks&catid=376)### [OMG Now They're Coming For Our Cats and Chairs and Ducks](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29532:omg-now-theyre-coming-for-our-cats-and-chairs-and-ducks&catid=376)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/June-2024/049m.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29066:shame-shame-shame-martha-ann-is-an-ungodly-piece-of-work&catid=376)### [Shame, Shame, Shame: Martha-Ann Is an Ungodly Piece of Work](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29066:shame-shame-shame-martha-ann-is-an-ungodly-piece-of-work&catid=376)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/May-2024/038r.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28868:they-walk-among-us-mississippi-goddamn-still&catid=376)### [They Walk Among Us: Mississippi Goddamn, Still](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=28868:they-walk-among-us-mississippi-goddamn-still&catid=376)
<div data-id="1" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-emailform eb-1 eboxContentLocker"
	data-options='{"trigger":"onPageLoad","trigger_selector":"","delay":3000,"early_trigger":true,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":1,"reverse_scroll_close":true,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":10000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"slideInDown","animation_close":"fadeOutDown","animation_duration":400,"disable_page_scroll":true,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #1 - Global Email Signup Form","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog eb-formVer" role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog1" aria-label="dialog1">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<form action="https://citywatchla.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=34d69f33624fd058ee9b56516&amp;id=4bfa422f51&amp;f_id=00d6c2e1f0" class="eb" method="post" id="mcform-1" name="mcform-1" target="_blank">
			<div class="eb-form-header"><p><img src="/images/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png" alt="be a city watcher" width="350" height="97" loading="lazy" data-path="local-images:/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png"></p>
<p>Sign up to receive our special e-news blasts on Monday and Thursday evenings!</p></div>
	
					<div class="eb-field-row">

			
			
			
			<input class="eb-input" type="email" name="EMAIL"  placeholder="Email address"  id="EMAIL" value="" required>

			
		</div>
										
	<div class="eb-footer">
    	<button class="eb-btn" type="submit" name="subscribe" style="background-color:rgba(93, 183, 93, 1);color:rgba(255, 255, 255, 1)">
    		Sign up    	</button>
    </div>
</form>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>
<div data-id="3" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-yesno eb-3 "
	data-options='{"trigger":"onScrollDepth","trigger_selector":"","delay":0,"early_trigger":false,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":2,"reverse_scroll_close":false,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":1000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"fadeInUp","animation_close":"fadeOut","animation_duration":300,"disable_page_scroll":false,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #3 - Yes \/ No Donation Popup Box","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog " role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog3" aria-label="dialog3">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<div class="ebox-yes-no">
	<div class="ebox-yn-text">
		
		
		<div class="ebox-yn-headline" style="font-size:22px;color:#888888">
			<p>If you only give once a month, would you consider giving to CityWatch?</p>
<p>Your support fuels our mission to promote and facilitate civic engagement and neighborhood empowerment, and to hold area government and its politicians accountable.</p>
<p>Would you like to help? Even if you can only give $5, it will make a difference.</p>		</div>
			</div>
	
	<div class="ebox-ys-buttons" style="font-size: 16px;">
		
<a
					data-ebox-prevent="0"
		data-ebox-cmd="close"
				target="_self"
		href="https://www.citywatchla.com/donate"
		rel="noopener"
	
	
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#2ec664;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Yes
	</a>
<a
	
	
			data-ebox-cmd="close"
		href="#"
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#ef2345;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Not Right Now
	</a>	</div>

	</div>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>