Pompeo on Way to Israel to Discuss Iran, COVID-19
10 May, 2020 |
6 years ago
Jerusalem, 10 May, 2020 (TPS-IL) -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Israel on Wednesday and will meet with the country’s leadership.
A statement by the state Department on Friday said that he will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Speaker of the Knesset Benny Gantz in Jerusalem to “discuss US and Israeli efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as regional security issues related to Iran’s malign influence.”
The US’ “commitment to Israel has never been stronger than under President Trump’s leadership,” spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.
The US and Israel “will face threats to the security and prosperity of our peoples together. In challenging times, we stand by our friends, and our friends stand by us,” she added.
This is Pompeo’s first overseas trip since March. He will be in Israel for less than a day.
Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker said in a press briefing on Friday that the US and Israel “have much to learn from each other as we address current threats, whether those threats stem from a global pandemic or from Iran’s malign regional influence.”
He declined to comment when asked about Israel’s plans to declare sovereignty in parts of Judea and Samaria in the coming months, as delineated by the US’ Deal of the Century peace plan.
