President Trump has signed an executive order recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, 52 years after the Jewish state seized the region from Syria.

”The State of Israel took control of the Golan Heights in 1967 to safeguard its security from external threats,” Trump said Monday, standing beside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House Diplomatic Room. “Today, aggressive action by Iran and terrorist groups in southern Syria, including Hezbollah, continue to make the Golan Heights a potential launching ground for attacks against Israel, very violent attacks.”

Recommended Stories

Israel enters Syria for the first time in 50 years to secure border buffer zone

Syria calls Netanyahu’s unannounced visit to Golan Heights ‘dangerous violation’ of sovereignty

Repression abroad shows why Israel must act unilaterally to defend itself