Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will reportedly meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week when he visits Israel, the prime minister said on Sunday.
The visit occurs at a time when sectarian violence is on the increase and tensions are rising over Netanhayu’s attempts to adopt laws that would curtail the authority of his country’s judiciary.
In response to criticism from the public and members of his own government, Israel’s longest-serving prime leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, halted his efforts to enact such measures.
A statement from DeSantis’ office states that he will visit Israel on Thursday.
At a ceremony honoring Israel’s 75th anniversary of creation, he will meet with representatives of the Israeli government and give the keynote talk.
It is said that the journey, which will also stop in Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, is a trade expedition abroad. It occurs as the governor of Florida prepares to perhaps begin his presidential candidacy.
DeSantis will travel from April 24 to April 28. His trip will begin in Japan and end in the United Kingdom.
DeSantis has traveled to Israel on multiple occasions, most recently in May 2018 when he was there to witness the opening of the new American embassy in Jerusalem.
DeSantis visited Israel and spoke with corporate and government leaders, sharing his praise for the country’s achievements in technology and the economy.
DeSantis co-sponsored a number of initiatives in Congress that dealt with Israel, including as the Taylor Force Act, which barred the United States from supporting the Palestinian Authority unless it stopped providing stipends to terrorists and their families.
He also backed legislation denouncing the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
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