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Syria vows to retake occupied Golan Heights by ‘all available means’

France, Germany, the EU, Russia and Iran condemn US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise the annexed land as part of Israel

SYRIA vowed to recover the occupied Golan Heights by “all available means” today after US President Donald Trump inflamed tensions by recognising Israel’s unilateral annexation of the region.

Damascus said the US actions “threaten the peace, security and stability of the Middle East and the world as a whole” and warned that the region is in crisis.

Syria’s Foreign Ministry has written to the UN secretary-general and security council regarding the “dangerous and irresponsible statements” made by Mr Trump regarding the occupied Syrian land.

It said the US has no right or mandate to decide the fate of the occupied Syrian Golan, branding any act of aggression against Syria’s right to sovereignty over the land illegal.

The ministry said the occupied Syrian Golan remains an integral part of the Syrian Arab Republic, and the restoration of it remains “a priority and an everlasting right which can’t be negotiable or abolished through prescription.”

“The Syrian people remain committed to the liberation of the Golan Heights by all means at its disposal,” a statement said.

Mr Trump tweeted on Thursday that the US was prepared to change 52 years of policy “to fully recognise Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and regional stability.”

Golan mayor Issam Shaalan branded Mr Trump’s statements “provocative, irresponsible and worthless” warning that the people of the occupied territory “will thwart all zionist expansionist measures.”

The Golan Heights were stolen by Israel after the 1967 Six Day War with Tel Aviv moving to annex the region in 1981. 

UN Security Council Resolution 497 views the Golan Heights as an occupied territory and any measures taken by the Israeli occupation authorities is null and void with no legal effect.

France, Germany, the EU, Russia and Iran were among the growing number that lined up to condemn Washington’s move today.

Leaders of the Arab Druze minority in the Golan Heights branded Mr Trump’s announcement “a delusional declaration of a delusional man.”

“The decision changes nothing in terms of the status of the Golan according to international law or for the Druze residents and was clearly meant to help Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu politically,” the statement said.

Palestinian Liberation Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi condemned Mr Trump for destroying the chances of peace with Palestine by the “theft of Jerusalem” and “enabling Israel to steal the Golan Heights and destroy the chances of peace with Syria.”

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