Jordan affirms ‘unaltered stance’ that Golan is occupied territory

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi affirmed on Friday Jordan’s unaltered stance that the Golan Heights are occupied Syrian territory, as stipulated in all international legitimacy resolutions that clearly ban confiscating land by force.

In a statement to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Safadi said that a permanent and comprehensive peace requires Israel’s withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories, stressing that the Syrian Golan is an integral part of this occupied land.

The minister also referred to 1981 UN Security Council Resolution 497 that rejects Israel’s decision to annex the Golan and stresses the lack of legitimacy of imposing Israeli laws and administration over the occupied Syrian Golan, and voiding the Israeli decision.

Safadi, during a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Amman in January, conveyed the Kingdom’s unaltered stance that the Golan Heights are occupied Syrian territory, and added: “This is the Jordanian stance and the international stance.”

US President Donald Trump on Thursday took to Twitter to declare the US’ recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, captured from Syria in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, and later annexed.

“After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognise Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!” Trump’s Tweet read.