AhlulBayt News Agency - U.S. State Department spokesperson John Kirby stressed Monday night that U.S. does not consider the Golan Heights to be part of Israel, one day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed they "will forever remain under Israeli sovereignty."
When asked about Netanyahu’s comments regarding the illegally occupied Golan Heights, the U.S. State Department’s Spokesperson, John Kirby, asserted that the U.S.’ position has not changed, despite the ongoing turmoil inside Syria.
“This position was maintained by both Democratic and Republican administrations. Those territories are not part of Israel and the status of those territories should be determined through negotiations. The current situation in Syria does not allow this.”
According to the Haaretz, one of the few U.S. politicians to back Netanyahu’s comments was U.S. Presidential candidate, Ted Cruz.
Cruz stated that “the regime of Israel reiterated the reality that the Golan Heights are part of Israel’s sovereign territory.”
He would add that it is “dangerous for the international community to try to pressure Israel to abandon the Golan to the chaos engulfing Syria.”
In 1981, the U.N. unanimously adopted Resolution 497, which called on Israel to withdraw from the Golan Heights.
Israel rejected Resolution 497 and has refused to withdraw from the Golan Heights.
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source : Haaretz
Tuesday
19 April 2016
6:24:52 AM
748403
U.S. State Department spokesperson John Kirby stressed Monday night that the Obama administration does not consider the Golan Heights to be part of Israel, one day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed they "will forever remain under Israeli sovereignty."