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Middle East and North Africa

Trump’s decision on Golan Heights may exacerbate situation in Middle East, says Moscow

The US President signed the proclamation earlier in the day

MOSCOW, March 25. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump’s move to sign a proclamation recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights may exacerbate the situation in the Middle East, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Russian Radio on Monday.

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Trump signs proclamation recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over Golan Heights

"Unfortunately, it may escalate tensions in the Middle East," she emphasized. "Such things… can only exacerbate the situation," she added.

Trump signed the proclamation earlier on Monday during talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Golan Heights, which belonged to Syria since 1944, were seized by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War. In 1981, the Israeli parliament passed a law unilaterally declaring sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The UN Security Council declared the annexation null and void in its Resolution 497 on December 17, 1981.

Apart from Syria and other Muslim countries, Russia and some key European Union members, including Germany and France, have also opposed Trump’s decision to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

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Middle East and North Africa United States Israel Kazakhstan Donald Trump

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