US Vice President Mike Pence announced yesterday that he would visit the Middle East in December at the request of President Donald Trump. Pence will visit Israel during the Hanukah holiday and he is also scheduled to visit Egypt.
In a speech to a Christian organization in Washington, Pence said that the emphasis of his visit would be an effort "to put an end to persecutions of Christians and other religious minorities." He will nevertheless meet separately with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas during his visit, and will discuss with them efforts to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
In Cairo, Pence will meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and will discuss security cooperation between Egypt and the US. He is scheduled to meet with religious and administration figures, and will call for reinforced efforts to protect Christian and other religious minorities.
During his entire political career, Pence has been considered one of Israel's best friends in the US, including when he was governor of Indiana. In a speech several months ago at an event held by Christians United for Israel, a pro-Israel organization, Pence said, "And under President Donald Trump, if the world knows nothing else, the world will know this: America stands with Israel - now and always."
"… to look at Israel is to see that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob keeps his promises… For my part, like all of you, my passion for Israel springs from my Christian faith. The songs of the land and the people of Israel were the anthems of my youth. As for me and my house, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem and all who call her home. It’s really the greatest privilege of my life to serve as Vice President to a President who cares so deeply for our most cherished ally. "
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on October 26, 2017
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