Pompeo Heads to Mideast as Part of Trump's Arab-Israeli Push
Pompeo departed Sunday for Israel, Gulf Arab states and Sudan
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday he is hopeful other Arab nations will follow the United Arab Emirates in establishing diplomatic relations with Israel.
Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Pompeo said if more nations take that step, it will both increase stability in the Middle East and improve the lives of people in those countries.
The United States helped broker the Israel-UAE deal earlier this month, a pact that Netanyahu said Thursday heralds a new era for the region.
He spoke of the prospect for making peace with other nations, citing what he called “the alliance of the moderates against the radicals.”
Netanyahu also praised the Trump administration for its effort to initiate a return of the international sanctions against Iran that were lifted under the 2015 agreement restricting the country’s nuclear program.
The United States withdrew from the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and other signatories, including Britain, France and Germany, said because the U.S. walked away they could not support its sanctions action.
Pompeo was also due to meet Monday with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi.
After his meetings in Israel, Pompeo is scheduled to travel on to Sudan, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.