U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to land in Tel Aviv on Sunday night at 6:15 PM. His arrival follows visits in Jordan and Egypt.

On Monday, Pence will speak at the Knesset and meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Tuesday’s schedule includes a tour of Yad Vashem, a visit to the Western Wall, and a meeting with President Reuven Rivlin in Jerusalem.

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Preparations on the ground include the deployment of thousands of police officers, border police and volunteers throughout Israel, primarily on roads between Ben-Gurion International Airport and the Jerusalem area. Heavy traffic is expected, and some major roads will be closed.

Pence’s trip comes just 48 hours after a U.S. government shutdownbegan on Saturday.

Pence was originally scheduled to visit the region in December, but following U.S. President Donald Trump‘s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the trip was delayed.

The vice president will not meet with Palestinians, who are refusing to meet with him in protest of the U.S. government’s stance on Jerusalem. Pence, a conservative Christian, will not meet with Christian leaders while in Israel. Palestinians declared that Pence is “not welcome” in Bethlehem, an important Christian pilgrimage site.

While in Egypt, Pence told reporters that Trump is “firmly committed” to jump-starting the peace process, and had “heard out” concerns regarding the Jerusalem decision.

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Source: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/pence-lands-in-israel-today-what-you-need-to-know-1.5748455

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