Donald Trump Sends Signed Map to Benjamin Netanyahu Showing Golan Heights as Part of Israel

Jerusalem, June 1: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the United States President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has gifted him a Trump-signed official State Department map that includes Golan Heights as part of Israel. The Isreali Prime Minister has shown the map during a television appearance on Thursday in a political plunge as the country will hold new elections as Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government. Fresh Elections in Israel as Benjamin Netanyahu Fails to Form Coalition.

The note on the map read, "To Prime Minister Netanyahu – the new official US map of Israel." The map also had 'nice' word scribbled by the US President, with an arrow pointing towards the annexed region. Israel Dissolves Parliament as Benjamin Netanyahu's Coalition Deal Gets Rejected; Next Elections in September 2019.

The 69-year-old leader has promised to name a community within Golan Heights after President Trump recognised the region as a part of Isreal in March. It puts the United States at odds as the international consensus considers the land to be occupied by Syria.

"This map had not been updated since the Six Day War," said Isreal PM, referring to the Middle East war in 1967. The war saw Isreal capture the Golan Heights from Syria before it was annexed, a move that was not internationally recognised. "Well, it has been updated, it just got an update. ... That is to say, there are very important developments here," Netanyahu said.

Meanwhile, Israel will hold fresh elections later this year after PM Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government from the parties elected to Parliament in April. It is the first time in the country's history that a national election has failed to produce a government.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 01, 2019 04:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).