US President Donald Trump’s recognition of the disputed Golan Heights as Israeli territory is “an act of brigandry,” former Labour Party MP George Galloway told RT. Trump’s declaration has been condemned in the Arab world.

Trump on Monday signed a declaration recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, seized from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War – a move that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called “historic justice” and a “diplomatic victory.” This is despite the UN declaring Israel’s occupation of the heights “null and void,” and the Arab League calling it “completely beyond international law.”

Galloway called Trump’s declaration “an act of brigandry which will send a clear message to the entire world that the US cares nothing for international law, for treaties, just force.”

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Crucially to Israel, the Golan Heights is one of only three sources of freshwater feeding the arid Jewish state. Perhaps more crucially to Israeli and American interests, the region also sits on top of sizable oil reserves, discovered in 2015. US oil company Genie, through its Israeli subsidiary, was given exclusive exploration rights to drill the occupied territory, and until now has been held up by the small matter of the land being illegally occupied under international law.

“The US will underwrite any Israeli crime as long as its imperial interests in the Arab world are furthered,” Galloway told RT. “The oil reserves in the Golan are already being stolen in absolute violation of international law but for the further enrichment of western businessmen.”

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Still, the Golan Heights is home to some 27,000 Syrians, who are unlikely to be happy with the Trump administration’s decision. “The Golan will always be Syrian, however, and no caprice of a ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ US president can change that,” Galloway said.

Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Trump’s decision a “flagrant attack” on Syrian sovereignty, a “slap in the face” for the international community and another step in a “conspiracy” to “liquidate the Palestinian issue.”

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