U.S. Rep. Brian Mast is headed to Israel next week, planning meetings with top Israeli government and military officials in the Jewish state.
Mast, a freshman Republican, will travel to the Middle Eastern country to meet with senior Israeli government and military leaders, including a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Other planned meetings are scheduled with Dr. Michael Oren, former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman.
Mast also plans to link up with Israeli military leaders, professors and entrepreneurs and will tour the country’s military bases and plentiful holy sites.
Mast currently serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over bills and legislation related to the foreign affairs of the U.S.
The trip, the South Florida Republican said, is centered around promoting ideals of “freedom, democracy and mutual respect for all people,” shared by the United States and Israel.
“This trip is a great opportunity to hear directly from Israeli government and military leaders about how our two nations can work together to further advance these values,” Mast explained.
The August trip won’t be Mast’s first to Israel. After he served in the U.S. Army, Rep. Mast volunteered with the Israeli Defense Forces beginning in 2015, where he worked at a base outside of Tel Aviv packing medical kits and moving supplies.
As a result of his service, issues revolving around Israel have been important to Mast, who has pushed legislation to combat anti-Semitism and ward off terrorist efforts targeting both Israel and the United States.
Mast recently introduced legislation to impose sanctions on foreign persons, agencies and governments assisting Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist terrorist organization.
Mast is one of several congressional representatives who will make the trek to the Middle Eastern country.
Another Floridian -- U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist -- is currently in Israel as part of a Democratic congressional delegation led by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee from Aug. 1 to Aug. 9.
A number of Trump campaign officials -- and the president himself -- have traveled to Israel in recent months. President Trump spent two days in the Jewish state in May, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
READ MORE FROM SUNSHINE STATE NEWS
Floridians Continue Pulling the Plug on Landlines
Florida Job Growth Keeps on Rising
