The Golan Heights was seized by Israel from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967. 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.
Lebanese President on US' Golan Heights Decision: Foreign State Can't Manage Lands That Don't Belong to It, Such Actions Contradict Int'l Law
Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that US President Donald Trump's move to recognize the Golan Heights as Israel's territory contradicts international law and directly affects Lebanon's interests.
"Of course, this affects the immediate interests of Lebanon. We believe that the leader of a foreign state has no right right to dispose of foreign territories like that. In addition, the move is fraught with escalation of social tensions, not to mention the fact that such steps contradict international law and the decisions of the UN Security Council in the most blatant way," the president said at talks with Russian lower house speaker Vyacheslav Volodin in Moscow.
Volodin, in his turn, agreed that Trump's decision was taken bypassing the UN Security Council and ignoring the UN dialogue on the issue. The speaker urged all members of the international community to voice their stand on the matter.
Saudi Arabia Reportedly Denounces US Recognition of Golan Heights as Israeli Territory
Ankara Condemns Trump's Decision to Recognize Israel's Sovereignty Over Golan Heights
"We deplore and strongly condemn the decision of the US Administration to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, held under Israeli occupation since 1967. This unfortunate decision, which constitutes a grave violation of international law, particularly the United Nations Security Council Resolution 497 (1981), demonstrates that the US Administration continues its approach to be part of the problem, rather than part of the solution in the Middle East," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a Monday statement.
Arab League Rejects US Recognizing Israel's Sovereignty Over Golan Heights
The League of Arab states rejects US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Monday.
"This US statement does not change anything in the status of the Golan Heights. The Golan is a piece of occupied Syrian territory ... Occupation is a serious crime, but attempts to legalize this occupation is also a great mistake," Aboul Gheit said in a statement.
According to the Arab League secretary-general, "this decision is a violation of the international law ... that harms the US authority not only in the Middle Eastern region, but also in the world."
He added that Arab countries would unanimously recognize Syria's right to the Golan Heights at the organization's upcoming summit.
"It will definitely be reflected in the resolutions of the Arab League summit that will be held next week," Aboul Gheit stated.