Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS

Pompeo scheduled to visit Israel, meet heads of new coalition government

The visit would be the first by a senior U.S. foreign official since Israel closed its borders amid the coronavirus pandemic.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo by Ron Przysucha.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo by Ron Przysucha.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to visit Israel next week, according to media reports on Wednesday.

The scheduled 24-hour visit would be the first by a senior foreign official since Israel closed its borders amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The reason for Pompeo’s upcoming visit is unclear, but would come as Israel is about to swear-in a new coalition government led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, and as Israel is expected to annex parts of the West Bank.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus told Axios that the department has “no trips to announce right now.”

“Never underestimate President Trump’s ability to successfully advance America’s interests,” Karoline Leavitt stated.

“If they negotiate in good faith, we will be able to find a deal,” the U.S. vice president said.
The U.S. president hailed the two-week ceasefire agreement with Tehran, suggesting the deal could mark the beginning of a ‘golden age’ in the Middle East.
Pakistan’s prime minister said that diplomatic talks to resolve the conflict will take place in Islamabad.
The Israeli military says about 100 terror targets hit across Lebanon in coordinated assault planned over weeks.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit released footage of Israeli troops demolishing terror sites from the air and on the ground.