At the request of Syria , the United Nations Security Council convened on Wednesday for a special session on the issue of the US' recognition of Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, said in his speech at the meeting that "no nation in the world would give up strategic land to its most dangerous enemy. Without the Golan Heights, Israel will find Iranian soldiers on the tip of the Sea of Galilee. We will never let that happen." "For years, the Assad regime has slaughtered its people and allowed Iran to establish a military presence within Syria to harm Israel. To whom does the UN want to give the Golan: to Iranian fighters, to Shi’ite militias, to jihadist forces?” he continued. “The war crimes of the dictator from Damascus will some day be stopped. But Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights will continue forever," Danon concluded. A US representative in the debate said “this is an important and strategic decision for the security of Israel, and the United States will continue to act for the stability of the region.” In his remarks, Syrian ambassador Bashar Jaafari said, “This is a criminal project of the United States. President Trump’s statement is a slap in the face of the entire world.” Trump on Monday officially recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which Israel liberated from Syria during the 1967 Six Day War and then annexed in 1981 in a move not recognized by the international community. Trump's Golan decision sparked condemnation from the Arab world, including from Syria, which accused Trump of “blatantly attacking” its sovereignty with the decision. "Trump does not have the right and the legal authority to legitimize the occupation," said a foreign ministry source. Last week, Damascus vowed to recover the Golan Heights in the wake of Trump’s declaration, saying the Golan would remain “Syrian, Arab” and adding that Trump had shown contempt for international law.
