Israel's Netanyahu heads to Washington for talks on Golan Heights, Iran

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed on Sunday morning for Washington to have talks with US President Donald Trump about the recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, his office said.

Netanyahu said the meetings with Trump will focus on the Golan Heights, a territory Israel seized from Syria in 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognized internationally, and Iran, according to a statement released by Israeli Prime Minister's Office.

They will also discuss Syria, the continuing pressure on Iran, and the "unprecedented security and intelligence cooperation" between Israel and the United States, it said.

"We have never had such a bond between the prime minister of Israel and an American president. This is a very, very important asset for the state of Israel and it is important that it continues to serve us," he added.

"The ties that I have with world leaders - with Russia's Putin, with Modi from India, with Bolsonaro who will arrive to Israel next week from Brazil, with Abe from Japan, with the leaders of China, and with other leaders - are an asset to the state of Israel," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu and Trump are scheduled to meet in the White House for a working meeting on Monday before Trump will host Netanyahu for a dinner on Tuesday, according to a White House statement last week.

Trump said last Thursday on Twitter that "after 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel's Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!"