Vice President Mike Pence will travel to Israel and Egypt in December, relaying a message of U.S. concern over persecution of Christians in the Middle East.
“One of the messages that I will bring on the president’s behalf to leaders across the region is that now is the time to bring an end to the persecution of Christians and all religious minorities,” he declared in a Wednesday night speech. The vice president also announced that the U.S. would halt its funding to United Nations’ efforts to aid persecuted peoples, instead vowing to funnel all future efforts through direct foreign aid.
“We will no longer rely on the United Nations alone to assist persecuted Christians and minorities in the wake of genocide and the atrocities of terrorist groups,” Pence told the audience, adding “our fellow Christians and all who are persecuted in the Middle East should not have to rely on multinational institutions when America can help them directly.”
Pence’s trip to Israel will coincide with Hanukkah, where he is expected to meet with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The vice president will likely discuss future U.S. policy towards Iran.
Pence will also travel to Egypt to meet with President Fattah El-Sisi to discuss a wide range of issues. Egypt in recent years has seen a spike in violence against its Coptic Christian community, largely perpetrated by the Islamic State. Hundreds of Christians in the region have been killed, prompting widespread criticism of the Egyptian security forces.
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