The United States, recognizing the Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights are trying to destroy the international legal framework, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram.

"We are consistently guided by the UN Security Council Resolution 497, dated December 17, 1981, according to which Israel’s decision to establish its laws, jurisdiction and sovereignty over the above-mentioned territory of Syria is null and void. The overwhelming majority of the international community members, including United States’ closest allies, share the same stance,” TASS reported quoting Lavrov.

According to him, Washington’s recognition of Israel’s annexation has revealed the US determination "to destroy the generally accepted foundation of the international law, which lays the basis for the quest to find ways of settling the Middle East issue.”

He added that US actions in the Middle East are in line with Washington’s policy of "destroying the cornerstone international agreements, of replacing the international law with what it calls the ‘rule-based order.’"

On March 25, during a White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation formally recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Earlier, Russia and Syria as well as key European states, such as Germany and France, voiced their opposition to such unilateral actions.

The Golan Heights is a disputable territory in the Middle East the biggest part of which is controlled by Israel, while the eastern part by Syria. Just as Israel, Syria considers the Golan Heights a part of its territory. From 1944 to 1967 the Golan Heights were a part of the Syrian province of Quneitra. Two thirds of the territory was seized by Israel during the Six-Day war in June 1976.