GHAJAR, Golan Heights  In this far-flung village that straddles a tense international border, location is not just a real estate issue. It determines in which country you reside.

The village, a cluster of pastel-colored houses in a deceptively tranquil valley, sits at a volatile juncture where regional rivals Israel, Lebanon and Syria meet. It commands crucial water sources, perched above the Hasbani River and the Wazzani springs.

Ghajar (pronounced RAH-jar) has a complicated history, adapting to the shifting map of territorial conquests and squeezed between Israel, which currently controls the village, and its enemies, including the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah.

Now international powers interested in stabilizing the region are pushing for another change in Ghajar’s status by returning the northern part to Lebanon, unnerving the residents.