Q: On December 21, Nicolas de Rivière, France's permanent representative to the UN Security Council, issued a statement concerning the Israel-Palestine situation that attracted considerable attention. He emphasized international law, denounced the multiple announcements being made on settlements, and stressed the fact that France will not recognize any changes to the 1967 borders (a statement disseminated by your department). However on December 26, the Israeli government approved a plan to double the number of settlers in the Occupied Golan, captured from Syria in 1967. Does France recognize the annexation of the Golan, announced in 1981?Do the settlements built or to be built on the Golan fall within the scope of France's statement to the Security Council by Mr. de Rivière?
A: For France, and under international law, the Golan has been an occupied territory since 1967. Its annexation by Israel in 1981 has been deemed null and void by several Security Council resolutions, in particular Resolution 497.