Syria: “Israeli” Attempt to Drill Oil in Golan Violates Int’l Resolutions

Syrian Foreign Ministry addressed two identical letters to the UN Security Council President and the United Nations Secretary-General on the “Israeli” intention to drill for oil in the occupied Syrian Golan.

“The “Israeli” Energy Ministry granted a license to the US Genie Energy Company to drill for oil in the occupied Syrian Golan, ” said the letters, referring to the “Israeli” Yediot Ahronot report mentioning that the “Israeli” energy Minister, Uzi Landau, approved a request by the Company to commence work in drilling.”

The ministry stressed that this illegitimate procedure is a flagrant violation of Security Council Resolution No. 497 for the year 1981, as it aims to perpetuate a state of occupation and annexation, contrary to the SC resolution.
“The “Israeli” decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect,” the UNSC resolution stated and called “Israel” to rescind its decisions immediately.

In parallel, the Syrian letters added that the procedure constitutes a violation of all the UN General Assembly’s decisions.
”Syria warns of “Israel’s” dangerous attempts to take advantage of the current situation to perpetuate its occupation of the Syrian lands and steal their resources, in a flagrant violation of the principle of permanent sovereignty of the peoples under foreign occupation over their natural resources and inalienable rights,” added the letters.

They also pointed to the international community’s disregard for “Israel’s” illegal practices and constant breaches of the Security Council resolutions, which prodded “Israel” to adopt such procedure that challenges, once again, the credibility of the UN.

”Therefore, Syria calls on the UN and the General Assembly to enforce their jurisdiction in ensuring “Israel’s” commitment to the law that bars the occupation state from adopting any procedure that might harm the safety of the occupied land in all its natural and demographic components.”
”Syria calls upon the international community to act beyond the pro forma condemnation of the “Israeli” violation of the Syrian lands , and stresses the importance of laying down the appropriate mechanism for obliging “Israel” to respect and implement the UN Security Council resolutions,” added the ministry.