Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a specially convened meeting of the government opened the stele, marking the place where the new city will be located — Trump Heights. The Washington Post reported.

The new settlement will appear in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which Trump recognized as part of Israel in March this year.

“This is a historic day,” Netanyahu said at the meeting.

“We are going to do two things: create a new community in the Golan Heights, which we have not done for many years. This is an act of Zionism, and it is of paramount importance. The second is to honor our friend, a very great friend of the state of Israel — President Donald Trump, who recently recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights,” the Israeli Prime Minister said.

During the ceremony, which was also attended by US Ambassador David Friedman, a board was opened with the name of the new settlement in Hebrew and in English.

Recall, on March 25, US President Donald Trump signed a Declaration on the recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The decision of the American President condemned the European Union, the League of Arab States, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Russia, and other countries. Washington’s actions did not find support at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on this topic.

Belonging the strategically important Golan Heights has been one of the most contentious topics in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East for many decades. Israel seized most of the region during the 1967 war and annexed it in 1981. In accordance with international law, the annexed areas of the Golan Heights remain Syrian territory occupied by Israel.

Thank you Mr. Prime Minister, a great honor! https://t.co/ozLz84g3i0 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 17 июня 2019 г.

In his Twitter account, the head of the United States published a statement by US Ambassador David Friedman on the solemn meeting of the Cabinet in the Golan Heights.