President Barack Obama plans to visit Israel this spring, his first trip to the Jewish state since taking office, a White House official said.

Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the matter in a telephone call on Jan. 28, the official said.

"The start of the president's second term and the formation of a new Israeli government offer the opportunity to reaffirm the deep and enduring bonds between the United States and Israel, and to discuss the way forward on a broad range of issues of mutual concern, including Iran and Syria," the official said.

"Additional details about the trip—including the dates of travel—will be released at a later time."

Reporting by Matt Spetalnick

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