Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday vowed to stay in control of the Golan Heights region, CGTN is reporting.  

"Golan Heights will always remain under Israeli sovereignty. We will never leave the Golan Heights. It is ours," Netanyahu said during a youth conference to note the 15th anniversary of the Six Day War in 1967, CGTN reports.

Syria controls the eastern third of the territory, and Israel has failed to take control there. Israel captured the region in the Six Day War, and has said it must keep control over it to maintain security in the area, CGTN reported.

Palestinians dispute Israel's presence in the Golan Heights region, which is home to 50,000, more than half of which are Israelis.

The international community, including the United States, does not recognize Golan Heights as Israeli territory. Netanyahu asked the U.S. for the recognition in February when he visited the U.S., CGTN noted.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres slammed Israel on Monday on the anniversary of the Six Day War. He said the Israeli presence in Golan Heights has "fueled recurring cycles of violence and retribution," according to The Jerusalem Post.

Guterres said that Israel's control of the region harms both Israelis and Palestinians, sending "an unmistakable message to generations of Palestinians that their dream of statehood is destined to remain just that, a dream, and to Israelis that their desire for peace, security and regional recognition remains unattainable," according to the Jerusalem Post.

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