TEL AVIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd March, 2019) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday made a phone call to US President Donald Trump to express gratitude for the latter's readiness to fully recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which are also claimed by Syria.
Trump made the statement earlier on Thursday via Twitter, noting that this move was of "critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and regional stability."
"I called him. I thanked him on behalf of the people of Israel. He did it again. At first he recognized Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and moved the US Embassy here. Then he withdrew from the destructive [Iranian nuclear] deal and restored sanctions. Now he has done something of equal historic significance � recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights," Netanyahu told reporters.
Trump's statement came in the wake of Netanyahu's visit to Washington on March 25 for talks on the middle East.
The disputed Golan Heights are located between Israel's northeastern border and Syria's southwest. Most of the Golan territory has been under Israel's control since the country occupied the area in 1967 and effectively annexed it in 1981.
