Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the press in Washington on Tuesday that he is "saddened by that but not surprised" by the refusal of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the governments of Canada, Turkey and Persian Gulf countries to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights like the administration of President Donald Trump. He compared the stance to the decision by the United States to move the embassy to Jerusalem, acknowledging it as the capital city instead of Tel Aviv. "In each case, we're simply recognizing facts on the ground and the reality and doing the right thing," the top diplomat asserted.
Commenting on the announcements from the said states that they would uphold the Security Council resolution that has declared the annexation null and void, he expressed hope they would "understand how important that is, how right it is."
Pompeo denied the move was a breach of international law. "This is an incredibly unique situation. Israel was fighting a defensive battle to save its nation, and it cannot be the case that a UN resolution is a suicide pact," he added.
