Trump’s statement on Golan draws world criticism
riyadh —The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regreted on Friday US President Donald Trump’s call to recognise Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights captured from Syria in the 1967 war.
After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognise Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, Trump said in a tweet.
“Trump’s statement will not change the reality which both the international community and the UN adhere to, which is that the Arab Golan Heights is Syrian land occupied by Israel by military force on the 5th June, 1967,” said Dr Abdul Latif Al Zayani, the GCC Secretary-General, in a statement.
“The statement by the American President undermines the chances of achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East, which will not be possible without Israel’s full withdrawal from Arab territories it occupied in 1967, including the Golan Heights, in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
“Israel decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect,” the GCC statement reads.
Meanwhile, US officials are preparing a document to codify recognition by the United States of Israeli sovereignty of the Golan Heights and President Trump might sign it next week, a senior administration official said on Friday.
The UN Human Rights Council on Friday criticised Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. The UN rights forum adopted an annual resolution on the Syrian Golan, brought by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), with 26 states in favour, 16 against and 5 abstentions.
Egypt said it considers the Golan Heights as occupied Syrian land, rejecting a call by Trump to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the territory. In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry cited UN Security Council resolution 497 of 1981 which rejected Israel’s annexation of the territory.
France also warned President Trump that recognising Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights would be “contrary to international law”.