Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has departed for Washington to meet with US President Donald Trump. Their talks will focus on the Middle East and Iran's nuclear program.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER "I will first thank him for the historic decision to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem on Independence Day. This is a very big present to our country. I intend to discuss with him a series of issues. First is Iran – its aggression, its nuclear aspirations, and its aggressive actions in the Middle East in general and on our borders, all of them, in particular."

The visit comes after Trump's controversial announcement to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and move the US embassy to the sacred city in May. Trump's Jerusalem decision has angered Israel's arch rival Palestine, who see east Jerusalem as the capital of their state. Last month in a rare speech at the United Nations, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas called on international powers to push for a multi-lateral peace mechanism in resolving the conflict with Israel.