Trump signs US recognition of Israeli authority over Golan

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Monday signed a proclamation saying the US formally recognises Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, the disputed territory that the Jewish nation had captured from Syria in 1967.

Trump had signalled the move last week in a tweet that was seen an attempt to bolster Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chances of winning the April 9 election.

On Monday, Trump signed the proclamation with Netanyahu by his side in the White House.

“My administration will always stand in solidarity with our Jewish brothers and sisters, and we will always stand strong with our cherished friend and partner, the state of Israel,” Trump said in a statement.

FLARE-UP AS ROCKET HITS ISRAELI HOUSE

An early morning rocket fired from the Gaza Strip demolished a house in central Israel on Monday, wounding seven people and prompting Netanyahu to announce that he was cutting short his trip to Washington.

The military quickly mobilised troops and called up reserves, setting the stage for a potential major conflagration shortly before Israel’s upcoming elections.

The rocket destroyed a residential home in the farming community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, wounding six members of a family.