Donald Trump on Thursday tweeted that the US should recognise Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights, despite international law underpinned by UN resolutions.
The decision follows a lobbying campaign by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent days.
Israel seized the territory from Syria in the Middle East War of 1967 and later annexed it.
Mr Trump's comments gained much support from Republicans, but less so from Democrats. Republican senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, who previously ran against Mr Trump for the party's presidential nomination, both supported Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
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WATCH: The Golan Heights explained:
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The American Jewish Committee warmly received Mr Trump's comments, saying: “We welcome President Trump’s recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which acknowledges the history of the region and the facts on the ground. The events in Syria have proven that the entire region is safer with Israel in control of this territory.”
Days before Mr Trump made the tweet about the contested territory, the US State Department described the area as "Israeli-controlled" rather than "Israeli-occupied" in the latest edition of its Global Human Rights Report.
For the second year, the report did not use the word "occupied" in sections relating to the West Bank and Gaza.
Officials at the State Department said it was not a policy change because the report focuses on human rights, not legal issues.
Many UN resolutions have declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories to be illegal.
UN Resolution 2334 adopted in 2016 stated that Israeli settlement activity was a breach of international law and had no legal validity.
Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, was visiting Israel when Mr Trump posted his tweet.
Mr Pompeo became the first person in his position to go to Jerusalem's holiest places, including the Western Wall, in the company of an Israeli prime minister.
Mr Trump's announcement angered Palestinian officials, who accuse the US administration of bias in its approach to contested areas.
Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestine Liberation Organisation spokesman, said it would sow further instability.
Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the PLO’s executive committee, said that “complicity in Israeli crimes is criminal”.
US officials have in the past spent time at Jerusalem's Western Wall unaccompanied by Israeli officials, to avoid appearing as if they recognise Israel’s rule over the area.
“I think it’s symbolic that a senior American official go there with the Prime Minister of Israel," Mr Pompeo said in Jerusalem on Thursday. "It’s a place that’s important for many faiths."
Mr Netanyahu quickly recognised Mr Trump’s announcement.
“At a time when Iran seeks to use Syria as a platform to destroy Israel, President Trump boldly recognises Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Thank you President Trump,” he tweeted minutes after Mr Trump's post.
While Mr Pompeo did not directly mention the Golan Heights, the Israeli leader, who is fighting a general election campaign, used the visit as a platform for the decision.
Mr Pompeo was given Israeli intelligence briefings on efforts by Lebanese militia Hezbollah to establish positions in Syrian-controlled parts of the Golan from which to threaten Israel.
Bloomberg reported that in light of Mr Trump's announcement, a slew of Democrat politicians have confirmed that they would not attend the AIPAC, a conference organised America's pro-Israel lobby.
Since coming to office, Mr Trump has moved the US Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The decision last year has prompted weekly Friday protests on the Gaza Strip.
Mr Trump also stopped funding the UN aid agency supporting Palestine.
This month the US State Department said it would merge its Palestinian mission with the Israeli embassy. It also closed Palestine's office in Washington.
Mr Trump will host Mr Netanyahu at the White House next Monday and Tuesday.
more from Janine di Giovanni
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Pros%20and%20cons%20of%20BNPL
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A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 420 bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: from Dh293,200
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 1 (Hudson-Odoi 90 1')
Manchester City 3 (Gundogan 18', Foden 21', De Bruyne 34')
Man of the match: Ilkay Gundogan (Man City)
