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The U.S President Donald Trump has claimed that he made a snap decision to officially recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, after receiving a quick history lesson on the Middle East. The U.S president broke with decades of U.S policy and the international agreement last month that had considered the piece of territory seized from Syria in 1967 occupied, to instead accept Israel’s claim. The move was seen as both a nod to his conservative Christian supporters and to support Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. It sparked widespread criticism from around the world.

Trump was speaking in Las Vegas on Saturday at the Republican Jewish Coalition (a group backed by GOP mega-donor Sheldon Adelson) Trump said he made the decision very quickly. He added that he did so after a discussion with his top advisors on the Middle East, including the U.S ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, and his own son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump said: “I said, ‘Fellows, do me a favor. Give me a little history, quick. Want to go fast. I got a lot of things I’m working on China, North Korea. Give me a quickie. How do you like the idea of me recognizing exactly what we’re discussing”?

He claimed Friedman was shocked, “like a wonderful, beautiful baby”. He said, “I went Bing, it was done. We make fast decisions. And we make good decisions”. In later 2017, Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in 2017 following year moved the U.S embassy there something long requested by conservative Israelis and evangelical End Time Christians who believe Jesus Christ will appear on earth once Jewish people control the city. Those moves and the recognition of the Golan Heights were among the primary wishes of 85-years old Adelson. It is noteworthy that Adelsons gave $30 million to Trump’s campaign in 2016.