Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked US President Donald Trump on Wednesday to recognize what he called ‘Israeli sovereignty’ over the Golan Heights.

Most of the world considers the Golan, a high plateau between northeastern Palestinian territoriesl and southwestern Syria, to be occupied by Israel, which annexed the territory in 1981 in a move not recognized internationally.

During a briefing with Israeli and foreign media after meeting Trump at the White House, Netanyahu was asked whether he had raised the Golan issue. “Yes,” he replied.

Asked how the US president had responded, he said: “I wouldn’t say that he was surprised by my request.” Netanyahu did not elaborate.

Tel Aviv made a similar request to the Obama administration in 2015, but it was rejected, diplomats said at the time.

Source: Reuters