Turkey:Trump's Golan Heights move draws strong reaction

By Sibel Morrow and Faruk Zorlu

ANKARA (AA) - U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights drew angry reactions from Turkey on Monday.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the U.S. "once again ignored international laws, however, this decision will never legitimize Israel's annexation".

Condemning the move, Cavusoglu said in a tweet: "[The decision] will further increase tensions in the region by preventing peace efforts in the Middle East."

Later speaking in southern Antalya province, Cavusoglu said Trump’s signature "is supposedly a gift to [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu who is in trouble before the election."

Earlier on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a presidential proclamation officially recognizing the strategic highlands on the border with Syria as Israel's territory, during a meeting with Netanyahu at the White House.

Trump said the occupied territory is "a potential launching ground for attacks against Israel".

Turkey's Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said the decision "as Israel bombards Gaza is manifestation of anti-peace mentality".

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party spokesman Omer Celik reiterated Turkey's stance on occupied Golan Heights, saying "the U.S. decision favoring Israel is wrong."

"[Golan Heights] is not Israeli territory, it is Syrian territory," Celik said.

Israel has long lobbied the U.S. to recognize its claim over the Golan Heights, but all past administration refused to heed the calls.

Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War.

Israel occupies roughly two-thirds of the wider Golan Heights as a de facto result of the conflict. It moved to formally annex the territory in 1981 -- an action unanimously rejected at the time by the UN Security Council.