Pakistan strongly condemns US recognition of Golan Heights as Israeli territory
Islamabad says US decision constitutes a 'serious blow' to rule of law and international norms
March 27, 2019
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday joined the international community in voicing its strong opposition and condemnation of the US administration's decision to recognise Syria's Golan Heights as Israeli territory.
"This decision represents a serious violation of UN Charter, international law and applicable UN Security Council resolutions, particularly 497 (1981)," the Foreign Office of Pakistan said in a statement.
It said the decision also constituted a "serious blow" to the rule of law and international norms.
"Pakistan shares the international outrage and is deeply concerned over the potentially grave repercussions of this decision for the region and beyond," the statement read.
Islamabad further called upon the UN Security Council to take cognizance of the situation and take steps in accordance with the UN Charter.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Monday in which the United States recognised Israel's annexation of the strategic plateau, despite UN resolutions that call for Israel's withdrawal from the Golan.
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981 in a move the UN Security Council declared unlawful.
Trump’s decision to recognise Israel’s sovereignty over the plateau also united Washington’s Arab allies and their regional foe Iran in condemnation on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait criticised Monday’s move to recognise Israel’s 1981 annexation and said the territory was occupied Arab land. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi said it was an impediment to peace.
Iran echoed the comments, describing Trump’s decision as unprecedented in this century.
The European members of the United Nations Security Council — France, Britain, Germany, Belgium and Poland — said they did not recognise Israel’s sovereignty over the territories it has occupied since June 1967, including the Golan Heights.
“We raise our strong concerns about broader consequences of recognising illegal annexation and also about the broader regional consequences,” they said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Syria has asked the UN Security Council to hold an urgent meeting on the US decision to recognise the Golan Heights as Israeli territory.
