A/HRC/13/52 journalist Ataa Farahat, detained in Israel since 30 July 2007. Syria indicates that he was arrested while he was trying to report on Israeli abuses against the population of the occupied Golan. According to Syria, the trial was unfair and the sentences illegitimate. 16. Syria stresses that Israel continues to take lands by force, which does not allow the peace process to progress in line with the relevant United Nations resolutions. Syria indicates that the Government of Israel is continuing the “judaization” of more lands in the occupied Syrian Golan. It refers to the occupying Power’s announcement4 to sell 11 lots of land in the village of Ain Quniya located in the occupied Golan, with the condition that priority is given to those who served in the security forces and were recommended by the Israeli Ministry of Defense. Syria emphasized that this bid sets a dangerous precedent as it will change the demographic composition of the population in the occupied Syrian Golan. 17. Syria indicates that, on 9 December 2009, the Israeli Knesset adopted in a first reading a decision to hold a public referendum that must be supported by 80 per cent of Israeli citizens before any agreement to withdraw Israel’s presence from East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan is implemented. Syria reaffirms that this decision contradicts international law which does not permit land acquisition by force and is contradictory to the Security Council resolution 497 (1981) which considers both Israel’s resolution to annex the Golan and its decision to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Golan null and void. Syria reiterates that it is also contrary to the resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 2 December 2009 on the occupied Syrian Golan which confirms that annexation of lands is illegal. Syria considers that without pressure from the international community on Israel to implement resolution 497, Israel will continue to contravene and abridge the resolutions despite their international legitimacy. 4 GE.10-12513 Announcement from 16 November to 16 December 2009. 5