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Syria Urges United Nations to Discuss Trump's Historic Golan Declaration

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Syria is urging the United Nations Security Council to summon a meeting to discuss President Donald Trump's decision to formally recognize Israel's sovereignty over the strategic Golan Heights.

The Jerusalem Post reports that a meeting regarding the issue could take place in the coming weeks.  The UNSC did not immediately schedule a meeting but according to the AFP,  there will be a discussion at the council about the request. 

Syria's mission to the UN sent a letter to the council calling Trump's actions a "flagrant violation of the relevant Security Council's resolutions."

Syria's state news agency SANA reported Tuesday that thousands of Syrians in Aleppo, Daraa, and other cities protested the United States’ designation of the Golan as under Israel's authority.

Trump's decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty is a significant break from the international community, which views the Golan as occupied Syrian territory. Israel captured the Golan from Syria in 1967 during the Six-Day-War, but Israel's sovereignty over the area is still not recognized by the international community.

"Today, aggressive action by Iran and terrorist groups in southern Syria, including Hezbollah, continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks against Israel — very violent attacks," Trump said Monday as he signed the proclamation.

"Today I am taking historic action to promote Israel's ability to defend itself and have a powerful national security which they're entitled to have," Trump continued.

Russia, the European Union, and the Arab League rejected the proclamation.

"Such decisions undoubtedly have negative consequences from the point of view of a settlement in the Middle East and the general atmosphere of a political settlement in Syria," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu applauded the United States’ decision and told a crowd at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in Washington D.C. that Israel will never give up control of the Golan.

"The Golan Heights is indispensable for our defense. It's part of our history. When you put a shovel in the ground there what you discover are the ruins of ancient synagogues. Jews lived there for thousands of years and the people of Israel have come back to the Golan," said Netanyahu. "We shall never ever give it up."

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About The Author

Emily
Jones

Emily Jones is a multi-media journalist for CBN News in Jerusalem. Before she moved to the Middle East in 2019, she spent years regularly traveling to the region to study the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, meet with government officials, and raise awareness about Christian persecution. During her college years, Emily served as president of Regent University's Christians United for Israel chapter and spoke alongside world leaders at numerous conferences and events. She is an active member of the Philos Project, an organization that seeks to promote positive Christian engagement with the Middle