The United States opposed on Friday for the first time an annual draft resolution at the United Nations that recognized the Golan Heights region as Syrian territory.

Iran PressMiddle East: A total of 151 votes were cast in favor of the draft resolution, while both the United States and Israel voted against it.

Another 14 states abstained from the vote, resulting in the adoption of this latest draft that calls for the condemnation of Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights, Reuters reported.

During the meeting of the General Assembly’s Fourth Committee, Syria’s Permanent Representative at the UN Bashar al-Jaafari said that the vast majority of nations favored the resolution, adding that it sends a clear message to Israel about its ongoing occupation of the Golan Heights.

Furthermore, Al-Jaafari said that this vote shows that the majority of member states are against the continuation of the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan, and also affirms that Israel’s attempts to annex the Golan are unlawful, null and void, and without any legal effect.

Syria’s Representative said that the United States’ vote against the resolution isn’t surprising, since Washington is Israel’s partner in its wars of aggression within the region.

He accused the US of allowing businesses like Genie Energy, Afek, and AES Corporation of illegally exploring the Golan Heights for oil.

Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and has continued to occupy two-thirds of the strategically-important territory ever since, in a move that has never been recognized by the international community.

Recently, Syrian government forces raised the country's flag in Quneitra, as the government continued its push to regain full control of the Syrian Golan Heights bordering Israel and Jordan.

The liberation of Syria’s southwestern Quneitra province has brought Syria on the doorsteps of Israel, causing major concerns for the regime.

The Tel Aviv regime has built dozens of illegal settlements in the area since its occupation and has used the region to carry out a number of military operations against the Syrian government

Tel Aviv has also been pressing the US administration under Israel-friendly President Trump to recognize its claim to sovereignty over the occupied territory in defiance of international law.

Syria has repeatedly reaffirmed its sovereignty over the Golan Heights, saying the territory must be completely restored to its control. 101/202

 

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