Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Jerusalem on Wednesday with Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who signed a proclamation of support for the Jewish state on the occasion of 75 years of independence.
Netanyahu thanked Reynolds for her “unreserved support” of Israel. They discussed economic cooperation, particularly with respect to agricultural technology.
Reynolds tweeted that it was an honor to meet the prime minister “to discuss our trade relationship and reaffirm Iowa’s unwavering support of Israel as it celebrates 75 years as an independent nation.”
The governor also met with Eli Cohen, Israeli foreign affairs minister, who noted this was Reynolds’ third official visit to Israel.
“Iowa is one of the first states to pass anti-BDS legislation and to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism,” Cohen wrote. “We talked about strengthening economic ties between Israel and Iowa, with an emphasis on innovation and technology.”
On Tuesday, Netanyahu met in the Israeli capital with a bipartisan congressional delegation led by Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) and Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) to discuss the Iranian nuclear threat and artificial intelligence technology.
Earlier this year, every U.S. Republican governor—26 of them—signed a statement marking Jewish American Heritage Month.
“As public servants and governors, we support and recognize May as Jewish American Heritage Month—and call for observance to celebrate the historical, economic and cultural impact of the Jewish-American people who have strengthened our communities and emboldened our nation throughout history,” they wrote.
They added that they are proud the United States was the first to recognize Israel and noted the “unbreakable bond” between the two nations, “based upon shared values, ultimately leading to prosperous economic, educational and cultural partnerships.”
In April, Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, visited Israel for the fifth time.
DeSantis emphasized that there has never been a Palestinian state in the Land of Israel or anywhere else, and that the historic biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria should be viewed as “disputed territory,” as the Trump administration referred to it.
