MESOPOTAMIA NEWS TODAY : Pompeo lands in Israel ahead of regional peace deal

i24NEWS August 24, 2020, 8:44 AMlatest revision August 24, 2020, 10:45 AM

Matty Stern/U.S. Embassy JerusalemUS Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives at Ben-Gurion International Airport in Israel, on August 24, 2020.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo landed in Israel Monday to hold further talks on the landmark agreement between Jerusalem and Abu Dhabi.

Pompeo is slated to discuss the matter with senior Israeli officials, among them Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz, Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and Mossad Director (Israel’s intelligence agency) Yossi Cohen.

When announcing Pompeo’s trip, the State Department said in a statement that “the US commitment to peace, security, and stability in Israel, Sudan, and among Gulf countries has never been stronger than under President [Donald] Trump’s leadership.”

Pompeo will meet with the Israeli premier “to discuss regional security issues related to Iran’s malicious influence, establishing and deepening Israel’s relationships in the region, as well as cooperation in protecting the US and Israeli economies from malign investors,” the statement added.

China is another issue that will be placed high on the agenda, Hebrew-language outlet Maariv reported.

After completing his trip to Israel, Pompeo will fly to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and will later visit Bahrain and Sudan as well in part of a five-day Mideast trip.

America’s top diplomat, however, stirred controversy when it was announced he will address the Republican National Convention from an “undisclosed location” in Jerusalem on Tuesday night, setting a precedent as the office was never used for partisan issues in US history.

According to The Times of Israel, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel defended Pompeo’s address, saying the Republican party would be paying for all the convention costs.