U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday lauded the White House’s warm ties with Israel during a visit to the country and promised to step up pressure on Iran, giving a public boost to Israel’s prime minister at the height of a tight re-election campaign, AP reports.
US’ Pompeo boosts Israeli prime minister ahead of election
Netanyahu thanked Pompeo for the Trump administration’s strong stance against Iran, which Israel regards as an existential threat.
Pompeo arrived in Jerusalem after a stop in Kuwait, where he renewed calls for a resolution to a festering dispute between Qatar and four other Arab nations, all of them America’s partners in the Middle East. Kuwait has been attempting to mediate an end to the crisis.
Pompeo said the dispute, which has roiled the Gulf Cooperation Council for almost two years, is hindering efforts to combat regional threats posed by Iran, the Islamic State group and other terrorist organizations.
In Israel, Pompeo also attended a summit of Mediterranean natural gas producers Israel, Cyprus and Greece.
