In a precedent, the first of its kind, for a US high official… Pompeo visits the occupied Golan hights and denounces the calls of European and US institutions to return the plateau to Syria

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited, on Thursday, the Syrian Golan Heights occupied by Israel, in a first precedent for a US minister.

This came according to what was reported by Israeli “Kan” channel, as part of Pompeo’s visit to Israel, which began Wednesday and ends Friday.

The channel quoted Pompeo as saying in a joint press conference with Israeli Foreign Minister Avi Ashkenazi, who accompanied him to the visit: “It is not possible to stand here in the Golan and stare across the border, and deny it is essential that the US President Trump has admitted that this part of Israel”.

Pompeo denounced the calls of European and US institutions to return the Golan to Syria.

He said, “If Bashar Assad (of this place) controls (the Golan), imagine the danger that will befall the West and Israel”.

In turn, Ashkenazi praised Pompeo’s visit, and Washington’s recognition of the strategic importance of the Golan Heights to Israel.

The Israeli Foreign Minister confirmed that this is the first time that a US Secretary of State visits the Golan Heights.

Earlier Thursday, Pompeo met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Today I will have the opportunity to visit the Golan Heights,” he said at a joint press conference held in Jerusalem after the meeting.

Pompeo added, “President Trump’s decision to recognize the Golan as part of Israel was historically important, and it is only a recognition of reality,” he said.

On March 25, 2019, Trump officially recognized Tel Aviv’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights on the Syrian-Israeli border.

Israel occupied the Golan Heights in 1967, and in 1981 the Knesset, passed a law annexing it to Israel, but the international community still deals with the area as occupied Syrian territory.