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President Donald Trump said the United States must recognize Israeli sovereignty over the highly contested heights of the Golan Heights, an important gift before the election for its ally, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Syrian government condemned Trump's pledge, saying it was in breach of international law.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned of a "new crisis" if the US president attempts to formally promulgate the movement.
"After 52 years, it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights," Trump said in a tweet.
Trump called the Golan – a strategic region seized from Syria and annexed into a movement never recognized by the international community – "of crucial importance to the security and strategy of the state of Israel and regional stability! "
About 20,000 Israeli settlers live in the Golan, which overlooks Syrian territory.
Trump's abrupt announcement was immediately applauded by Netanyahu, who faces a tough battle of reelection and heads to Washington next week.
"At a time when Iran seeks to use Syria as a platform to destroy Israel, President Trump boldly recognizes Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights," wrote the right-wing Prime Minister. on Twitter. "Thank you President Trump!"
Lindsey Graham, a senior Republican leader of the US Senate, also quickly approved that Congress recognize Israeli control over the Golan Heights.
"President Trump's decision to recognize the Golan as part of Israel is strategic and great, congratulations, Mr. President!" Graham tweeted.
Trump's announcement coincided with a visit by state secretary Mike Pompeo to Jerusalem, where he became the first US top official to visit the Wailing Wall alongside an Israeli prime minister – a new impetus for Netanyahu.
However, Leon Panetta, a veteran Democrat who has held the positions of CIA director and defense secretary, criticized Trump for "tweeting another policy that was obviously not developed with our international partners. ".
Diplomatic Bomb
The recognition of the Golan is only the last diplomatic bomb launched by Washington, Israel's main supporter, in its attempt to redraw the heavy map of the Middle East.
In 2017, Trump also opposed decades of practice recognizing the disputed city of Jerusalem as the capital, rather than Tel Aviv, which had previously been accepted.
The move on the Golan Heights was suggested a week ago when the State Department changed its usual description of the "occupied" area by "controlled by Israel".
The Trump State Department has also abandoned the previous definitions of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip as being "occupied" by the Jewish state.
During the Six Day War in 1967, Israel occupied the Golan Heights, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. He then annexed the Golan Heights and East Jerusalem with actions never recognized by the international community.
During Pompeo's trip to Jerusalem, there was also speculation that his visit of the Wailing Wall to Netanyahu could be interpreted as a tacit endorsement of Israel's claim to sovereignty over the site. The wall is one of the most sacred places in Judaism, but it is located mainly in East Jerusalem, a Palestinian city.
(with AFP)
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