President Donald Trump has signed a decree at the start of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the United States recognises Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
“This was a long time in the making. Should have taken place many decades ago,” Mr Trump said as he signed the presidential proclamation on Monday local time.
The decree formalised Mr Trump’s statement on March 21 saying it was time for the US “to fully recognise” Israeli sovereignty over the Golan.
Mr Trump said his decision would cement the Jewish state’s ability to defend itself from regional threats should a broad Arab-Israeli peace deal ever be reached.
He also declared that the relationship between the two nations has “never been stronger”.
Mr Netanyahu heaped praise on Mr Trump and declared that “this is truly an historic day”.
“Israel has never had a better friend than you,” he told the US president.
Israel seized the strategic Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
Israel annexed the territory in 1981, though this move is not recognised internationally.
Read the article in The Daily Telegraph (Reuters/AP/News Corp).