MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/. The United States’ decision to recognize the Golan Heights as Israel’s territory is a violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, Russia President Vladimir Putin said on Monday after talks with his visiting Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"As for recognition of the Golan Heights as a part of Israel, you know Russia’s position on that. It was laid bare in the Russian foreign ministry’s statement. This decision [of the United States] runs counter to the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council," he stressed.

On March 25, US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights during talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel took control over the Golan Heights that had belonged to Syria from 1944 after the Six-Day War in 1967. In 1981, Israel’s Knesset (parliament) passed a law on the Golan Heights unilaterally proclaiming Israel’s sovereignty over this territory. United Nations Security Council Resolution 497 of December 17, 1981 ruled that the annexation was null and void, having no international legal effect. Today, the Golan Heights are divided into three parts, namely, a territory controlled by the Syrian authorities, areas occupied by Israel and an area of deployment of UN forces.