In a meeting with US President Barack Obama on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised the issue of international recognition for the Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights, Israeli newspaper Haaretz has revealed.
Informed sources said that there was no direct discussion about the issue, but that Netanyahu hinted to it in the light of discussing the Syrian conflict and ongoing international attempts to bring that conflict to an end.
According to the sources, Netanyahu is sceptical about reuniting Syria following any potential peace deal. Hence, he believes that Israel has to secure its role in determining the future of the Golan Heights.
Haaretz reported that right wing Israeli politicians are behind this idea, and that the Zionist lobby see the ongoing Syrian conflict and the emergence of terrorist organisations in the region as an opportunity for Israel to achieve international recognition for its annexation of Golan.
Israel invaded the Syrian territory of the Golan Heights in 1981, which has since been considered illegally occupied land by the international community.