"Give them New Jersey": how al-Shara's joke exposed the dispute over the Golan

Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara jokingly suggested to Trump that Israel be given New Jersey in response to a proposal to give up the Golan. Behind the joke lies a serious position: the Golan will remain Syrian, and annexation contradicts UN resolutions. The article also examines Professor Ron Shaham's book on different interpretations of Islam.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara, speaking in New York, recounted a conversation with US President Donald Trump, in which Trump suggested he give up the Golan Heights as part of a peace agreement with Israel. In response, al-Shara jokingly asked why the US couldn't give Israel New Jersey, noting that the state traditionally supports Democrats and it would be easier for Trump to give it up. Behind the joke, he said, lies a serious position: there is a population on the Golan, and no one has the right to give it up. Later, speaking at the UN General Assembly, he stated that the Golan will remain Syrian territory, and attempts at annexation contradict UN Security Council resolutions. Former Israeli ambassador to the US Itamar Rabinovich suggested a scenario where the Golan formally remains under Syrian sovereignty while Israel gains de facto control based on a long-term lease, but acknowledged that this proposal was never officially presented to the Syrian side. The second part of the article is devoted to Professor Ron Shaham's book "Not Only Jihad," in which he analyzes different approaches to Islam and criticizes the perception of it as a religion that hinders peace.