This week, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to Israel and the West Bank, joined by Deputy Assistant to the President and Middle East and North Africa Coordinator Brett McGurk and the State Department's Acting Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Yael Lempert. In Israel, Mr. Sullivan will meet with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and senior Israeli government officials to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to Israel's security and consult on a range of issues of strategic importance to the U.S.-Israel bilateral relationship, including the threat posed by Iran. Mr. Sullivan will also co-chair the fourth Strategic Consultative Group (SCG) with his Israeli counterpart, Dr. Eyal Hulata, capping a year of extraordinary engagement between our inter-agencies on a range of national security matters. Mr. Sullivan will also travel to Ramallah to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss ongoing efforts to further strengthen U.S.-Palestinian ties and advance peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis alike.
