Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with Reuters on August 23 that he hadn't given up hope that the US would recognize Tel Aviv's claims on the Golan Heights, which were seized from Syria during the Six-Day War.
"Would I give up on such a thing? No way," Netanyahu said.
US National Security Adviser John Bolton had previously said during his visit to Israel that the White House would not discuss the matter of recognizing the Golan Heights as part of Jewish state. He also noted that Washington understood Tel Aviv's position on the matter, but said the US stance would remain unchanged for the time being.
READ MORE: Bolton Claims US, Russia, Israel Want Iran Driven From Syria
The Golan Heights were seized by Israel from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967. The territory was initially governed by a military administration, but in 1981, Tel-Aviv extended the jurisdiction of its laws to the territory and established a civil administration. The UN Security Council condemned the move as illegal. Israel justified its move by contending that the seizure was a way to safeguard its borders from aggressive military acts.
