With tensions between Israel and its Arabic neighbors throughout the region escalating, two U.S. congressmen will visit the country to experience the situation first-hand and affirm American support for the Israeli people.
Rep. Ed Royce, R-California, who is chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, will accompany the committee’s ranking member, Rep. Eliot Engel, D-New York, to the war-torn area this week.
“[We] are traveling to Israel to show bipartisan support at a critical time,” Royce said. “With Iran’s backing, Hamas was able to launch a barrage of rockets on innocent Israelis, reaching farther and deeper into the country. Now with a ceasefire in place, we’ll be meeting with senior Israeli leaders as they chart their course forward.”
The pair will also assess other threats, including Iran’s nuclear program and Syrian humanitarian violations.
“[We] are making this trip to deliver a clear message: the Congress and the people of the United States stand with Israel,” Engel said.
Royce and Engel are set to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister Avigdor Liberman and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon during their visit. They are also scheduled to meet with officials from the Palestinian National Authority.