NEWS

House Foreign Affairs Committee

U.S. House of Representatives

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Ranking Republican

CONTACT: Sam Stratman, (202) 226-7875, May 24, 2007

Lee Cohen, (202 226-1139

For IMMEDIATE Release

Ros-Lehtinen Announces Visit to Israel; Includes Meetings with Senior Leaders on Security & Economic Issues

(WASHINGTON) - U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced today that she will be visiting Israel for meetings with senior government officials, legislators and business leaders.

Ros-Lehtinen will be traveling with U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler (D-FL), also a member of the committee and chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe.

During the visit, Ros-Lehtinen will focus her attention on: regional peace and security issues including recent uprisings in Gaza, and the continuing rocket attacks against Israel by Islamist militants, as well as developments concerning Syria, Iran’s nuclear program, and U.S.-Israeli defense cooperation. Ros-Lehtinen is expected to meet with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Amos Gilad of the Ministry of Defense, and Gideon Frank of the Israeli Atomic Energy Agency.

The visit by Ros-Lehtinen overlaps with a delegation of Florida legislators and business leaders also in Israel led by Governor Charlie Crist.

Ros-Lehtinen is expected to join the Governor’s delegation for meetings focusing on trade and commercial ties between Israel and the state of Florida including a meeting with Eli Yishai, Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor.

“The United States has no better ally in the Middle East than Israel,” said Ros-Lehtinen. “This visit offers us an opportunity to learn more about the economic and security challenges confronting our two great countries in a region vital to our own national interests,” she added.

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