Golan Heights – Join statement by Belgium, France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom

26 March 2019

On behalf of France, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom and Belgium, we would like to make a brief statement on the occupied Golan Heights, in the context of the US Presidential Proclamation issued yesterday stating that the United States recognizes that the Golan Heights are part of the State of Israel.

Our position on the status of the Golan Heights is well-known, and we would like to make clear that this position has not changed.

In line with international law, and relevant Security Council resolutions, notably Resolutions 242 and 497, we do not recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, including the Golan Heights, and we do not consider them to be part of the territory of the State of Israel.

Annexation of territory by force is prohibited under international law. Any declaration of a unilateral border change goes against the foundation of the rules-based international order and the UN Charter.

We raise our strong concerns about broader consequences of recognizing illegal annexation and also about the broader regional consequences./.