Gulf states reject Trump's decision on occupied Golan

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain slammed Trump's decision and said that the territory was occupied Arab land.

Trump - a key Saudi ally - broke with decades of US policy on Monday, signing a proclamation recognising Israeli sovereignty over the strategic territory it seized from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community. 

"It will have significant negative effects on the peace process in the Middle East and the security and stability of the region," a statement on Saudi Arabia's state news agency SPA said.

The Golan remains "occupied Syrian Arab land" and its recognition as Israeli is a "violation of the UN Charter and international resolutions," the statement said. 

"This will have negative effects on the Middle East peace process and security and stability in the region."

Kuwait and Bahrain said they regretted the decision, while Qatar called on Israel to end its occupation of the Golan Heights and comply with international resolutions.

The UN Security Council and successive US administrations have always regarded the Golan as occupied territory whose return would be negotiated as part of comprehensive peace deal between Israel and Syria.

Trump has failed to carry any of his allies in his policy U-turn, which he signed with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at his side.

Fellow veto-wielding Security Council permanent members Britain and France have both said they will continue to consider the Golan Heights as Israeli-occupied in line with council resolutions, as have China and Russia.

US relations with Saudi Arabia have improved sharply since the 2017 inauguration of Trump, who has broken with his predecessor Barack Obama's diplomatic opening to Saudi arch foe Iran.

Trump refused to take a harsh stand against the kingdom for the 2018 murder inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

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