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Trump: Time to recognise Golan Heights as Israeli territory Trump: Time to recognise Golan Heights as Israeli territory
(about 2 hours later)
President Donald Trump says it is time the US recognises Israel's sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria in 1967.President Donald Trump says it is time the US recognises Israel's sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria in 1967.
In a tweet, Mr Trump declared that the plateau was of "critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and regional stability".In a tweet, Mr Trump declared that the plateau was of "critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and regional stability".
Israel annexed the Golan in 1981 in a move not recognised internationally.Israel annexed the Golan in 1981 in a move not recognised internationally.
There was no immediate response from Syria, which has sought to regain control of the region. There was no immediate response from Syria, which has consistently sought to regain control of the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has warned about the military "entrenchment" of his country's arch-enemy Iran in the Syria conflict, tweeted his thanks to Mr Trump on Thursday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - who has warned about the "military entrenchment" of his country's arch-enemy Iran in Syria and has ordered air strikes in an attempt to thwart it - tweeted his thanks to Mr Trump.
"At a time when Iran seeks to use Syria as a platform to destroy Israel, President Trump boldly recognises Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights," he wrote."At a time when Iran seeks to use Syria as a platform to destroy Israel, President Trump boldly recognises Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights," he wrote.
Richard Haass, a former senior US state department official who is now president of the Council on Foreign Relations think-tank, said he "strongly disagreed" with Mr Trump's decision. Richard Haass, a former senior US state department official who is now president of the Council on Foreign Relations think-tank, said he "strongly disagreed" with Mr Trump. He said such recognising Israeli sovereignty would violate a UN Security Council resolution, "which rules out acquiring territory by war".
In a tweet, Mr Haass said the move violated a UN Security Council resolution, "which rules out acquiring territory by war". The president's declaration comes as Mr Netanyahu faces a closely fought general election on 9 April, as well as a series of possible corruption charges.
Mr Trump's declaration comes as Mr Netanyahu faces a closely fought general election on 9 April, as well as a series of possible corruption charges. In 2017, Mr Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital and ordered the relocation of the US embassy to the city from Tel Aviv. The decision was condemned by Palestinians, who want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future Palestinian state, and the UN General Assembly demanded its cancellation.
In 2017, President Trump announced that the US recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital, triggering angry reaction from the Palestinians.
Last year, the US moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, and according to the 1993 Israel-Palestinian peace accords, its final status is meant to be discussed in the latter stages of peace talks.
What is the Golan Heights?
It is a rocky plateau, covering about 1,200 sq km (400 sq miles), located about 60km (40 miles) south-west of the Syrian capital, Damascus.
There are more than 30 Jewish settlements on the heights, with an estimated 20,000 settlers.
There are some 20,000 Syrians in the area, most of them members of the Druze sect.
Israel seized most of the Golan from Syria in the closing stages of the 1967 Middle East War, and thwarted a Syrian attempt to retake it in 1973.
The two countries remain technically in a state of war, and UN observers are deployed to monitor the 70km-long demilitarised zone.
In 1981, Israel's parliament passed legislation applying Israeli "law, jurisdiction, and administration" to the Golan, in effect, annexing the territory. But other governments, including the US, did not recognise the act.
'Pre-election gift for Israel's PM''Pre-election gift for Israel's PM'
It is hard to see President Trump's tweet as representing anything other than a pre-election gift to Israel's prime minister, who is compromised by legal investigations into allegations of corruption and facing perhaps the most difficult campaign of his tenure.It is hard to see President Trump's tweet as representing anything other than a pre-election gift to Israel's prime minister, who is compromised by legal investigations into allegations of corruption and facing perhaps the most difficult campaign of his tenure.
Mr Netanyahu has been pressing for this shift in US policy.Mr Netanyahu has been pressing for this shift in US policy.
A recent state department human rights report broke with past US practice referring to the Golan, which Israel captured in 1967, as "Israeli-controlled" rather than "Israeli-occupied". A recent state department human rights report broke with past US practice referring to the Golan, which Israel captured in 1967, as "Israeli controlled" rather than "Israeli occupied".
A formal announcement of the shift in US policy looks set to come when Mr Netanyahu visits Washington next week.A formal announcement of the shift in US policy looks set to come when Mr Netanyahu visits Washington next week.
Like the Trump administration's decision to move the US embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, this will be seen as another demonstration of its unreserved support for Israel, and for Mr Netanyahu in particular. That will surprise no-one.Like the Trump administration's decision to move the US embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, this will be seen as another demonstration of its unreserved support for Israel, and for Mr Netanyahu in particular. That will surprise no-one.
What are the Golan Heights?
The region is located about 60km (40 miles) south-west of the Syrian capital, Damascus, and covers about 1,200 sq km (400 sq miles).
Israel seized most of the Golan from Syria in the closing stages of the 1967 Middle East war, and thwarted a Syrian attempt to retake the region during the 1973 war.
The two countries agreed a disengagement plan the following year that involved the creation of a 70km-long (44-mile) demilitarised zone patrolled by a United Nations observer force. But they remained technically in a state of war.
In 1981, Israel's parliament passed legislation applying Israeli "law, jurisdiction, and administration" to the Golan, in effect, annexing the territory. But the international community did not recognise the move and maintained that the Golan was occupied Syrian territory. UN Security Council Resolution 497 declared the Israeli decision "null and void and without international legal effect".
Three years ago, when former President Barack Obama was in office, the US voted in favour of a Security Council statement expressing deep concern that Mr Netanyahu had declared Israel would never relinquish the Golan.
Syria has always insisted that it will not agree a peace deal with Israel unless it withdraws from the whole of the Golan. The last US-brokered direct peace talks broke down in 2000, while Turkey mediated in indirect talks in 2008.
There are more than 30 Israeli settlements in the Golan, which are home to an estimated 20,000 people. The settlements are considered illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this. The settlers live alongside some 20,000 Syrians, most of them Druze Muslim Arabs, who did not flee when the Golan was captured.