The US President Donald Trump on March 25 recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan heights. The UN since 1967 believes that part of this territory is occupied by Israeli troops.

What happened?

The US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan.

The solemn ceremony of signing this document was held in the White House in the framework of trump’s talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

For the first time the American leader announced the possible adoption of such a decision on March 21 in his Twitter.

Who owns the Golan?

The Golan, which had belonged to Syria since 1944, was seized by Israel during the six-day war in 1967.

In 1981, the Israeli Parliament passed a law that unilaterally proclaimed the sovereignty of the Jewish state over the Golan heights.

This annexation was invalidated by the UN Security Council resolution 497 of December 17, 1981.

The Golan heights are currently divided into three parts: the territory controlled by the Syrian authorities; the land occupied by Israel; and the area where the UN Forces are deployed.

What was the reaction of Israel?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump’s decision historic.

“Your recognition is a double act of historical justice,” he said.

“Israel got the Golan heights as a result of a just war, which was self — defense, and the roots of the Jewish people in the Golan heights go back thousands of years,” the Prime Minister said.

What was the reaction in Russia?

Russian President’s special representative for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said that the proclamations signed by Trump on the Golan heights do not change the position of Moscow.

“Nothing has changed that before that after. Our principled position and evaluations given on the website of the Ministry of foreign Affairs,” — said a senior diplomat.

Earlier, the Russian foreign Ministry said that the Golan heights, of course, are Syrian territory, and the Declaration of Washington on the recognition of the Golan as part of Israel shows disregard for the American side of the international law and the resolutions of the UN Security Council.

The reaction in the world

In Damascus, Trump’s decision on the Golan was called a blatant attack on the sovereignty of Syria.

“Committing an attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic, the us President recognized the accession of the occupied Syrian Golan to the Zionist occupation,” — leads the Agency Sana words of the source in the diplomatic Department.

Turkish foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that by its decision the United States once again ignored the norms of international law. The diplomat noted that this decision will never legitimize the Israeli annexation, but will only undermine efforts for a peaceful settlement in the middle East.

Deputy official representative of the UN Secretary General Farhan Haq said that the status of the Golan heights remains unchanged, the UN position on this issue is set out in resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly.