US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi meets PM Bennett: ‘Israel’s security is an imperative for America’s security
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Thursday with a Democratic Congressional delegation led by House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem.
Nancy Pelosi and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett Photo: Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)
Speaker Pelosi and the delegation arrived in Israel Wednesday and she has already been welcomed at the Knesset and met with Israeli leaders like Defence Minister Benny Ganz and other cabinet ministers.
When speaking with the delegation, Prime Minister Bennett stressed the warm ties between Israel and the US and the importance of bipartisan support for Israel.
High on the list of issues discussed was the threat to security and peace in the region, as well as the entire world, posed by Iran’s nuclear program. World leaders have been conducting talks with Iranian officials in recent weeks on finding a way to get the country to relinquish its nuclear ambitions. As this has been going on all of Israel’s government leaders, including second-tier cabinet ministers, have been explaining the danger that Iran poses to the world in their meetings with foreign dignitaries.
Naftali Bennett opened his remarks by saying that he has heard “wonderful feedback from everyone who has met you.” Bennett then personally thanked Pelosi for her ongoing support for Israel.
Prime Minister Bennett thanked Speaker Pelosi for her support in advancing US funding for the Iron Dome and emphasized the importance of completing the process as soon as possible. The day before Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy also thanked Pelosi personally for the passage of the bill to fund the replenishment of interceptors for Israel’s Iron Dome Anti-Missile Defense System, saying that it will forever be associated with her.
In a moving gesture, a hundred school children from towns and villages bordering the Gaza Strip were also present in the gallery to honour Speaker Pelosi and thank her personally for supporting to fund Iron Dome interceptors. They waved Israeli and American flags.
Bennett’s comments on the matter came after, earlier in the day, Nancy Pelosi visited an Iron Dome anti-missile defence battery. “Israel’s security is an imperative for America’s security,” she tweeted. “Today, our delegation viewed Iron Dome – a defensive system that has helped save thousands of lives. Last year, the House with strong bipartisan support proudly passed H.R. 5323 in further support of Iron Dome.”
“We have a beautiful country here, pretty tough place, but with beautiful people,” Bennett also told Pelosi. “You’ve stood up for Israel. Your dad, may he rest in peace, stood up for the Jews in our darkest hour of history when it wasn’t easy to stand up for Jews. I want to thank you.”
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Herzog and US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides also attended the meeting.
