Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of (a) the United States and (b) Israel on sovereignty of the Golan Heights.

Mark Field, Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office: On 26 March officials from our Embassy in Washington raised our concerns with US counterparts about the US Presidential Proclamation recognising that the Golan Heights are part of the State of Israel. We are clear that the UK views the Golan Heights as territory occupied by Israel. Annexation of territory by force is prohibited under international law, including the UN Charter. The decision by the US to recognise lsraeli sovereignity over the Golan Heights is in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution 497. The UK did not recognise Israel's annexation in 1981 and we have no plans to change our position. On 26 March we joined Belgium, France, Germany and Poland at the UN Security Council in reiterating this position.

Hansard

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