Saudi Arabia has condemned the Trump administration’s recognition of the occupied Golan Heights as Israeli territory, the Saudi Press Agency said Tuesday, cited by Reuters.
“Attempts to impose fait accompli do not change the facts”, the statement said as quoted by Reuters. The Golan Heights was an “occupied Syrian Arab land in accordance with the relevant international resolutions […] It will have significant negative effects on the peace process in the Middle East and the security and stability of the region”, the statement stressed.
The Saudi Press Agency, cited by Reuters, described Monday’s declaration as a clear violation of the United Nations Charter and of international law.
Earlier on Monday, US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation formally recognising Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The Golan Heights is a border area that Israel annexed from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War. The United Nations has recognised the Golan Heights as Syrian territory.
Russia, Syria, Iran, Turkey, and other countries have condemned the United States’ proclamation regarding the Golan Heights. Major US allies such as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have refused to back Washington’s decision.
In 2018, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution urging Israel to immediately withdraw its forces from the area after the country organised local elections in the area on 30 October.
Washington’s U-turn on the Golan Heights follows another highly controversial Israel-related move in 2017, when Trump officially recognised Jerusalem as the country’s capital. This step was met by a global backlash and prompted the Palestinians to refuse to accept the United States as a primary mediator in peace talks with Israel.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
