Mike Pompeo lands in Israel to visit Netanyahu

Pompeo flew into Israel from Turkey, where he and US Vice President Mike Pence spoke with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and asked him to stop attacking the Kurds.

By TAMAR URIEL-BEERI
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrives in Israel.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo landed at Ben-Gurion Airport in Israel late on Thursday night.
He was met by US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and head of the North America Bureau at the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Zvi Aviner.
He came for a meeting scheduled for Friday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which they intend to “discuss developments in Syria and the continued need to counter the Iranian regime’s destabilizing behavior in the region,” according to the US State Department's statement on Wednesday.
Pompeo flew into Israel from Turkey, where he and US Vice President Mike Pence spoke with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and asked him to stop attacking the Kurds.
The news came during the aftermath of the US decision to remove troops from northeastern Syria and before the US and Turkey, according to Pence, agreed to a ceasefire in the country.
Pompeo said on Wednesday that the US pullout from Syria has not endangered Israel.
"Good to be in #Israel today and look forward to meeting and discussing a range of important issues, including regional developments and threats, and the security of America's closest ally and partner," Pompeo wrote on Twitter shortly after landing.

"Honored to welcome Secretary Pompeo to Israel immediately following his successful diplomatic efforts with VP Pence in Turkey," Friedman wrote on Twitter shortly after. "Looking forward to an important visit."

Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.


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