Turkey slams Trump over Golan Heights recognition

Istanbul, Mar 28 (AFP) Turkey on Wednesday accused US President Donald Trump of resorting to "bully boy" tactics over a disputed move to proclaim that the Golan Heights -- captured from Syria in 1967 -- belong to Israel. "Unfortunately, Trump is behaving like a bully boy," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told A Haber television during an interview.

"He did the same on Jerusalem." On Monday, Trump signed a proclamation recognising Israel's 1981 annexation of the strategic plateau, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War.

Israel's move has not been recognised internationally, and three UN Security Council resolutions have called for it to withdraw from the territory. "How can you do this despite the United Nations?" Erdogan said. "What are you doing? Being at the helm of a state like the US does not give you such a right."

The Turkish leader added: "America has preferred to escalate tensions ... rather than contribute to peace." Last December, Trump went against decades of practice by formally recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital.