“I did not leave my meeting with Abbas highly energized that he is eager to engage in peace talks”
Max Rose is a freshman Democratic congressman serving New York’s 11th district, which includes South Brooklyn and Staten Island. He is a Jewish Army veteran who earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart as a platoon leader in Afghanistan. A moderate Democrat, he returned last week from a trip to Israel, where he was a part of a bipartisan delegation.
It was phenomenal. It was highly educational, and I came back confident that America will retain its bipartisan support for Israel, for its security, and support the preservation of the Jewish state in the heart of the Middle East.
Anytime one goes directly to the border with Syria and the border with Lebanon and can see up close the incredibly challenging security situation that Israel has faced for the better part of its history, it’s a valuable experience. It’s an experience that I’ll never forget and I’ll certainly think back to it as I play a part in policy decisions as they pertain to America’s relationship with Israel.
The most interesting part was meeting with the present leadership and potentially future leadership. It was great to sit down with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and also a fantastic opportunity to sit down with Benny Gantz, who is among the leaders of the opposition. Any time you get a chance to listen to the views of the current and potentially future leaders and to discuss our relationship, I feel very privileged to have had a seat at that table. It was also a great opportunity to meet with President Abbas.
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