Why World Condemns Trump’s Golan Heights Move

TEHRAN (FNA)- US President Donald Trump’s unlawful recognition of the 1981 Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights has been cheered by Israel, which sees it as a big political win. For everyone else, however, the reactions are just condemnations of the illegality or the ill-considered implications of the move.

Iran, Russia and France are all very clear that the US move amounts to a violation of international law, since Golan is sitll recognized internationally as part of Syria. Britain confirmed that Golan is occupied, and only said that they have no intention of following the US lead. EU officials also say the union-wide stance will not change. 

The Druze minority that lives in occupied Golan was critical of the move too, saying that even with Israel, and now the US, considering the Golan Heights to be part of Israel, would still be considered to have “Syrian” blood under Zionist occupation.

This, however, has not stopped Trump, who earlier tweeted that he now recognizes Israel's claim over its sovereignty. 

Trump tweeted: "After 52 years it is time for the US to fully recognize Israel's Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!"
For Trump to resort to such convention is not surprising, especially given his controversial recognition of Jerusalem Al-Quds as Israeli capital in 2017.

The motives for the move are quite clear in his tweet, it is in the strategic interests of the US to do so. Squaring off on a regional standoff against Iran, as well as in Syria itself, he is happy to consolidate Israel's continuing military occupation - now that he can’t regime change Syria.

In the process, however, Trump is serving to further tear up regional stability, undermining peace and dialogue, and further spreading the flame of extremism throughout the region. 

Since taking office, he has also cut off all aid to Palestinian people and given Benjamin Netanyahu a free rein on illegal settlement building, something that the United Nations is critical of. 

Recognising Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights, on random and unilateral basis, is just the latest in a series of moves bound to be extremely provocative to the Muslim world.

However, to unilaterally support occupation of territory from one country to the other is against international law, and it isn't recognized by anyone else. 

Washington is not treating the sovereignty of Syria with due respect. To the North, it has thousands of troops stationed without a mandate, of which the US system has fought hard to resist Trump's withdrawal. 

Similarly, endorsing occupation shows contempt for international norms and territorial integrity. In other words, it is okay to break the rules if it is in Washington's strategic interest to do so.

This will have consequences for the region. By emboldening Israel and giving it a free hand to attack others, Trump is clearly undermining regional peace and stability. 

The lavish willingness to give the regime any territory it desires without a cost and the negligent attitude toward Palestinians should serve throughout the Islamic world to cut off all diplomatic ties with Washington, as it will only fuel violence. 

This is without even pausing to consider how 70 years of US policy in this region of the world has already served to aid and unleash evil ideologies and unprecedented levels of causalities. Regardless of the struggle with Iran, Trump’s lavish support for Israeli occupation and crimes against humanity is a danger for the whole world.