US President Trump today invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House early next month, working quickly to establish close ties with a crucial ally in the West Asia who was often at odds with his predecessor.<br/><br/>Relations between Israel and the US were strained under former President Barack Obama and his administration abstained from a UN resolution in December that declared settlement construction in East Jerusalem and in the West Bank illegal. <br/><br/> Trump had pledged during his campaign to move the US embassy, and a designated ambassador to Israel. But the White House statement today did not mention Trump's suggestion to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.<br/>No country in the world has its Israel embassy in Jerusalem, which is also claimed by the Palestinians as their capital.