Article snippet: MORE on Thursday said the U.S. should recognize Israeli control of the disputed Golan Heights territory, delivering a diplomatic win for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of a tough reelection race. “After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights,” Trump tweeted. Trump wrote that the territory, which is located between Israel and Syria, “is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!” The announcement came days before Trump was scheduled to meet at the White House with Netanyahu, who has repeatedly urged top U.S. officials to make the move. Secretary of State MORE, who is visiting Jerusalem, earlier Thursday would not directly answer reporters who asked if the change was coming, but said “it wasn’t a mistake” the Golan was not listed as “occupied territory” in the U.S.’s annual human rights report, a reversal of past protocol. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed the territory in 1981, a move that was not formally recognized by the U.S. and other nations who said its permanent status should be determined through negotiations. The Golan has long been a contentious issue in peace talks between Israel, Syria and other neighboring countries. Israel views the territory as a key buffer to protect itself from Hezbollah, a militant Islamist group based in Lebanon; Iranian-backed militias and other militant ... Link to the full article to read more