The head of the United States Department said about the difference between the Golan and the Crimea

Mike Pompeo noted that Israel captured the Golan, defending against the attack of Syria, and Russia annexed the Crimea, although there was no threat from Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke about the differences between the annexation of the Golan Heights by Israel and the Crimea Peninsula by Russia. “These issues are complitely different”, Pompeo said, speaking at Senate hearings on Tuesday, April 9. The Golan became part of Israel after it was subjected to attack. “Israel defended, its existence was under threat”, — said the head of the United States Department. According to him, the ocupation of the Golan Heights was necessary to “continue to defend” against the Syrian regime. “Russia did not defend itself. Russia has chosen the moment to occupy the territory from the people who did not pose any threat to it”, Mike Pompeo explained. Trump recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan On March 25, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a Declaration recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The decision of the American President condemned the European Union, the League of Arab States, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Russia and other countries. Washington's actions did not find support at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on this topic. The territorial belonging of the strategically important Golan Heights has for many decades been one of the most controversial topics in the ongoing conflict in the middle East. Israel occupied most of the region during the 1967 war and annexed it in 1981. Follow accepted international rules, the annexed Golan Heights remain Syrian territory occupied by Israel. Source: DW