Trump invites Netanyahu to White House as US warms to Syria’s president

US President Donald Trump has invited Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House in the “near future”, the prime minister’s office said on Monday, soon after Trump said Israel should maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria.

A visit to the White House would mark the Israeli prime minister’s fifth since Trump returned to office in January.

The two leaders have publicly projected a close relationship, though US and Israeli sources have said Trump has at times expressed frustration with Netanyahu.

The prime minister’s office said Netanyahu and Trump discussed disarming Hamas and demilitarising Gaza. Trump in September announced a plan to end the Gaza war and a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been in place since October.

Trump earlier said in a statement that it was very important that Israel maintained a “strong and true dialogue” with neighbouring Syria, and that “nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria’s evolution into a prosperous state”.