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

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

By JNS

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 appears connected to Israel’s inauguration of a new coalition government led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz.

Israel is expected to annex parts of Judea and Samaria within the next two months.

The announcement regarding Pompeo’s visit arrived hours before Israel’s High Court announced a unanimous decision rejection petitions seeking to block the formation of the Netanyahu-Gantz unity government.

Opponents of the arrangement argued it violated Israeli law, an accusation the court dismissed.