January 22, 2018
With multiple biblical references and two Jewish prayers, Pence firmly and emotionally expresses American support for Israel. He asserts US commitments to Israel’s security in the Middle East and seeing through the Arab-Israeli peace process. Many Palestinians express loud disdain for the speech’s content as well as the administration’s approach to the Palestinian-Israeli peace-process; most notably Trump’s December 2017 statement recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Palestinian Authority President Abbas and other officials refuse to meet with Pence during his Middle East visit. Other regional stops included US allies Jordan and Egypt. (source)