Changing the status of the Golan Heights in sidestepping the UN Security Council would come in direct violation of its resolutions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told journalists on Wednesday.

"The status of the Golan Heights is determined by UN Security Council resolutions," he reiterated. "I think that changing the status in bypassing the Security Council would be a direct violation of these resolutions," he added.

Israel took control over the Golan Heights that had belonged by Syria from 1944 after the Six-Day War in 1967. In 1981, Israel’s Knesset (parliament) passed a law on the Golan Heights unilaterally proclaiming Israel’s sovereignty over this territory. United Nations Security Council Resolution 497 of December 17, 1981 ruled that the annexation was null and void, having no international legal effect.

The Israeli leadership has repeatedly said the Golan Heights will forever remain under the control of the Jewish state.