Feb 25, 2022, 02:56 am
Russia condemned Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights on Wednesday after Israel expressed support for Ukraine in the unfolding crisis.
Russia's United Nations envoy, Dmitry Polyanskiy, told a Security Council briefing that Moscow was "concerned over Tel Aviv's announced plans for expanding settlement activity in the occupied Golan Heights, which directly contradicts the provisions of the 1949 Geneva Convention".
"Russia's unchanging position, according to which we do not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights that are an inalienable part of Syria."
The Golan Heights was officially recognised as part of Syria when the country acquired independence in 1944 - years before Israel was created.
A strategic plateau straddling Israel and Syria and overlooking southern Lebanon, the resource-rich region was captured by Israel during the war of 1967.
According to official Syrian figures, at least 131,00 Syrians from the cities of Quneitra and Fiq were expelled from the region, and some 137 villages and 112 farms were subsequently annexed.
Polyanskiy's comments came hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a large-scale offensive across Ukraine on Thursday.
Earlier on Wednesday, Israel's foreign ministry issued its first statement on the crisis, where it deliberately refrained from mentioning Russia or Putin but stated support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
"Israel shares the concern of the international community regarding the steps taken in eastern Ukraine and the serious escalation in the situation," said the statement.
In 2019, Israel and Ukraine signed a major trade agreement, and in December 2021, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov visited Israel.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/ukrai...an-heights
Russia's United Nations envoy, Dmitry Polyanskiy, told a Security Council briefing that Moscow was "concerned over Tel Aviv's announced plans for expanding settlement activity in the occupied Golan Heights, which directly contradicts the provisions of the 1949 Geneva Convention".
"Russia's unchanging position, according to which we do not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights that are an inalienable part of Syria."
The Golan Heights was officially recognised as part of Syria when the country acquired independence in 1944 - years before Israel was created.
A strategic plateau straddling Israel and Syria and overlooking southern Lebanon, the resource-rich region was captured by Israel during the war of 1967.
According to official Syrian figures, at least 131,00 Syrians from the cities of Quneitra and Fiq were expelled from the region, and some 137 villages and 112 farms were subsequently annexed.
Polyanskiy's comments came hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a large-scale offensive across Ukraine on Thursday.
Earlier on Wednesday, Israel's foreign ministry issued its first statement on the crisis, where it deliberately refrained from mentioning Russia or Putin but stated support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
"Israel shares the concern of the international community regarding the steps taken in eastern Ukraine and the serious escalation in the situation," said the statement.
In 2019, Israel and Ukraine signed a major trade agreement, and in December 2021, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov visited Israel.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/ukrai...an-heights