In a radical shift to US foreign policy, Donald Trump said on Thursday that his country now recognises Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

His announcement, which had been rumoured for several weeks, makes the United States the first major country to say it considers the region to be a part of Israel.

Israel occupied two-thirds of the Golan Heights from Syria during the Six Day War in 1967.

It effectively annexed the territory and incorporated it into Israel’s Northern District in December 1981, but the remainder of the international community considers it Syrian territory under occupation.

Mr Trump tweeted on Thursday: “After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!”

Israel's unilateralannexation was unanimously condemned by the UN Security Council — of which the United States is a member — at the time.

Question: Netanyahu will be meeting with Trump next week in the White House. Wouldn't it have made more sense to wait until then and announce the US' recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan together, instead of today on twitter?

— Anshel Pfeffer (@AnshelPfeffer) March 21, 2019