US envoy to UN will visit Israel, Palestine, Jordan next week

WASHINGTON

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield is traveling to the Middle East this week to hold talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials, her office said Thursday.

Destinations include Jerusalem, Ramallah and Jordan as part of the trip that will start Sunday and last through Friday.

Her trip aims to "reaffirm our partnerships, meet with senior UN officials, and advance U.S. objectives on the Middle East that figure prominently in our work" at the UN, the office said in a statement.

In Israel, she will meet senior Israeli officials and visit Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. She will tour the museum and lay a wreath to commemorate victims of the Holocaust.

In Ramallah, the ambassador will continue President Joe Biden administration’s efforts to build ties with the Palestinian people.

"She will meet with the Palestinian leadership, as well as with civil society. In Jerusalem and Ramallah, she will discuss practical steps to advance freedom, security, and prosperity for all and to preserve the viability of a two-state solution," said the statement.

As part of the final leg of her trip, Thomas-Greenfield will visit the Jordanian capital of Amman "to reaffirm the United States commitment to the enduring and strategic partnership between the two countries."

"Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield will also convey the United States appreciation for Jordan’s generosity in hosting refugees from neighboring countries. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield will engage with refugees and see firsthand how U.S. assistance provides life-saving support to address humanitarian needs in Jordan for refugees and the communities that host them," read the statement.

Thomas-Greenfield will be the first US Cabinet official to visit Israel since the formation of a new government in June under Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.