Somalia dispels doubts over Golan vote, affirms Syrian ownership

Somalia has distanced itself from its UN ambassador’s vote on the Golan Heights question affirming the territory seized by Israel in 1967 rightly belongs to Syria.

In a statement Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated it recognised Golan Heights as Syrian land days after the country’s ambassador to Switzerland controversially abstained from the vote raising questions of a possible change of policy over the issue by Somalia.

The statement noted that Somalia ‘recognises Golan Heights as Syrian Territory’ in line with the UN resolution 242 of 1967 and 497 of 1981. Any decision to recognise Golan Heights as Israeli territory is in violation of International Law, the statement added.

Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the Middle East conflict in 1967 and annexed it in 1981. Last week’s vote tabled by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) sought to compel Israel to cease expansion of settlements in the disputed territory. The resolution was endorsed by 26 states while 16 opposed as 5 states abstained.

RECALL

Somali permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Faduma Abdullahi who also doubles up as ambassador to Switzerland caused a stir in Mogadishu last week when she abstained from the vote which came days President Donald Trump alluded to Golan Heights as Israeli land.

Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Awad recalled ambassador Abdullahi in a letter dated March 23. According to the letter, the ambassador was required to arrive in the country no later than two weeks.

Somalia has traditionally voted in support of the Golan Heights issue in favour of Syria similar to related votes such as on the Palestinian question. But the move to abstain from the vote last week seems to have caught the Federal Government unawares raising questions about coordination between the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the country’s ambassadors.

GOOBJOOG NEWS