JERUSALEM 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, according to Israeli media reports.

The Israeli Broadcast Authority (IBA) reported Tuesday that Netanyahu would meet Putin in Moscow on Thursday -- five days before Israel is slated to hold Knesset (parliament) elections.

IBA did not provide further details.

According to a statement released by his office, Netanyahu had a phone conversation with Putin on Monday during which the two men discussed “regional issues”.

Notably, it will be Netanyahu’s first visit to Russia since U.S. President Donald Trump's abrupt decision last month to recognize Israel's territorial claim to the occupied Syrian Golan Heights -- a move to which Moscow has stated its strong opposition.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat