update deskU.S.-Israel Relations

Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter to visit Israel

The diplomat will speak to Israeli officials on a range of issues, including the investigation into the deaths of U.S. civilians in Judea and Samaria.

Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter joins Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken for a meeting with Bureau of Consular Affairs staff at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 19, 2023. Photo: Freddie Everett/U.S. State Department via Wikimedia Commons.
Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter joins Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken for a meeting with Bureau of Consular Affairs staff at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 19, 2023. Photo: Freddie Everett/U.S. State Department via Wikimedia Commons.

The State Department announced on Monday that Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter will be visiting Israel from Monday through Thursday.

Bitter will meet with staffers at the U.S. embassies in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. She will speak with U.S. citizens in Israel, Judea and Samaria who have felt the impact of the war against Hamas in Gaza.

Bitter will also connect with Israeli officials to push for the completion of an investigation into the recent terrorist killings of Americans in Judea and Samaria. Bitter will advocate for “fair and reciprocal treatment of U.S. citizens traveling to and through Israel, and reinforce continued cooperation in providing consular assistance to U.S. citizens,” according to the State Department. 

On Thursday, the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem announced an easing of travel restrictions for U.S. government employees at the Israeli borders of Lebanon and Syria. 

Topics