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Golan Heights

British  
/ ˈɡəʊˌlæn /

plural noun

  1. a range of hills in the Middle East, possession of which is disputed between Israel and Syria: under Syrian control until 1967 when they were stormed by Israeli forces; Jewish settlements have since been established. Highest peak: 2224 m (7297 ft)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Golan Heights Cultural  
  1. A hilly area on the border between Israel and Syria that Israel seized from Syria after a fierce battle during the Six-Day War of 1967. Israel and Syria have not been able to agree on terms of its return to Syria.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After Syria’s loss of the Golan Heights in 1967, Israel chomped off bits of Lebanese and Syrian territory, cutting off lands where Kfar Chouba residents would grow wheat and olives.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Its adherents are spread across parts of Syria, Israel, Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

“It’s easy to take the risk when you’re in Washington, but when you’re in the Golan Heights it’s much more risky. It’s too close,” said Yaakov Amidror, a former Israeli national security adviser.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 10, 2025

Jolani was a nom-de-guerre, reflecting his family's roots in the Golan Heights, Syria's southern highlands, annexed by Israel after it was occupied in 1967.

From BBC • Dec. 8, 2025

In recent years, Syria and Israel have   held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights.

From The 2003 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency