Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recognition by the President of the United States of Israel's sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights; and what discussions they have had, or intend to have, with the government of the United States about that recognition.

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 UK did not recognise Israel's annexation in 1981 and we have no plans to change our position. On 26 March we reiterated our firm position on this matter at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council.