BICOM

Syria has asked for a meeting of the UN Security Council to condemn US recognition of Israeli sovereignty on the Golan Heights.

Ambassadors from the five EU members of the UN Security Council — France, Germany, Britain, Poland and Belgium — issued a joint statement on Tuesday saying that they don’t recognise Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights which Israel occupied in 1967.

They said: “Annexation of territory by force is prohibited under international law,” and any unilateral border changes go against “the rules-based international order and the UN Charter. We raise our strong concerns about broader consequences of recognising illegal annexation and also about the broader regional consequences.”

The US move was also criticised by Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait. A Saudi statement on its state news agency SPA said: “It will have significant negative effects on the peace process in the Middle East and the security and stability of the region.”

Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry said the Golan Heights are: “Arab and Syrian territories, occupied by Israel since June 1967, as it is confirmed by the resolutions of the UN Security Council.” The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “The US move will definitely undermine the possibility of reaching a just and comprehensive peace in the region. Regional stability and peace will never be possible as long as Israel continues its occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories.”

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly presented US President Donald Trump with a plan to resolve the Syrian crisis. According to the Times of Israel, the Israeli plan – which would involve Iranian forces withdrawing from Syria – has previously been presented to President Vladimir Putin of Russia.

Russian media reported that three Russian servicemen were killed when they were caught in an ambush while driving in the eastern Syrian region of Deir al-Zor in late February. The Defence Ministry report said that a group of more than 30 militants involved in the ambush were eliminated in a joint campaign by the Aerospace Forces and special-forces troops.